Further boost for Northern railway

Irangika Range

The Government has decided to reconstruct the stretch of the Northern railway line between Jaffna and Kankesanthurai (52 km) on a special request by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to strengthen the railway services for the benefit of the people living in the Jaffna peninsula.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that reconstruction work had already begun from Kankesanthurai to Palali.

“It is expected that this step will pave the way for speedier travel by train and thereby save valuable time of the Northern population who had not travelled by train for over 30 years due to suspension of the service owing to LTTE terrorism,” the Minister said.

He said they would ensure that the transportation of passengers and goods will be strengthened in the peninsula with this move.

Meanwhile, the restoration of the Northern railway line is now progressing and the service of the Yal Devi is back on track travelling to the Thandikulam railway station from Colombo after 30 years.

The service will soon be extended up to Omanthai,” he said.

In addition, a new railway track from Medawachchiya to Thalaimannar (104 km) parallel to the Northern railway line will be reconstructed to augment the railway service in the North.

Further, the Government has granted letters of appointment of permanency to a group of 435 temporary employees who have been working in a minor capacity at selected railway stations islandwide, in Colombo recently.

They will be deployed in workshops, maintenances of railway tracks, building sections, offices and railway stations attached to the Railway Department.

The Sri Lanka Railway Department hopes to make all temporary employees permanent step by step.