Jaffna railway station reconstruction:

H’tota people to commit wealth, manpower

Irangika Range

People in the Hambantota district under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa have pledged their support to re-construct the Jaffna Railway Station at a cost of Rs.100 million.

Speaking to the Daily News, Uthuru Mithuru Project Manager M.J. Premathileke said that the Presidential Secretariat is engaged in a fund-raising campaign to reconstruct the Jaffna Railway Station which will be renovated as a Super A Grade Station.

Accordingly, the staff of the Presidential Secretariat and the people of Hambantota district will commit their wealth and manpower for the cause of linking the North with South through the unifying voyage of Yal Devi.

He said that the Government has succeeded in finding sponsors for its flagship project Uthuru Mithuru with 27 sponsors from the Government and private sector organizations and companies pledging their support to construct 27 railway stations on the Northern railway line from Omanthai to Kankasanthurai.

This is a collective work of the private sector, public sector and the public pledging their contributions in whatever capacity to create a bridge of fraternity between the people of the North and South through this project.

A number of patriotic groups, organizations and companies individually or jointly had undertaken the reconstruction which would not place any burden on the Treasury. Among them Ministries, Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Shabhas, Private sector figures, school children, youth, private and public sector banks, media organizations and construction companies have come forward to pledge their support to reconstruct the stations.

Meanwhile, this concept has already received positive acclamation from school children and teachers across the country mobilizing to construct the Elephant Pass railway station.

The project is implemented in collaboration with the Education Ministry and they have already reached the financial target in reconstructing the station.

In addition, schoolchildren and teachers have also contributed around Rs.11 million not only to restore the Northern line but also to construct a new library called Senehase Thotupala to facilitate children in the North.

Youth will also support to rebuild the Murukandi railway station.

Accordingly, the National Youth Service Council is engaged in a fund-raising campaign to achieve this target.