Indian team to visit Lanka for rail project

COLOMBO: A high level Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) delegation will visit Sri Lanka this month to give final shape to its $170 million dollar project to upgrade Sri Lanka’s Southern Railway.

“We have got Government approval for the project and the Attorney General is looking at the proposals before giving clearance,” said Transport Secretary Nihal Somaweera. RITES would be providing the loan for the project, according to the Memorandum of Understanding for the project.

The RITES and Indian Railway Construction Company (IRCON) would undertake upgrading the Southern Railway Line up to Matara.

The Ministry of Transport has already finalised negotiations for entering into an agreement with RITES to secure the credit. The project would be taken in two stages, one involving $100 million and the second $70 million, Somaweera said adding he expected the agreement to be signed by March.

The project is to be completed by the end of next year. Besides 16 power sets for long distance travel and three engines to maintain tracks, RITES has also proposed to provide material to upgrade the railway track from Colombo to Aluthgama (57 km) under the first stage of the project.

RITES Ltd, a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, is a multi-disciplinary consultancy organisation in the field of transport, infrastructure and related technologies. IRCON would be involved in construction and upgrade work besides providing three engines for track maintenance and power equipment. PTI