Govt signs agreement with Indian company:

Trains from Omanthai to Pallai soon

Irangika Range

The Government signed an agreement yesterday with the IRCON International Limited Railways Ministry, India to reconstruct the Northern railway line from Omanthai to Pallai. The 90 km line will be reconstructed at an estimated cost of US$ 185 million. The project will be completed in two and half years.

The trains will travel at 120 kmph on the Northern railway line.

IRCON International Limited will undertake the construction of the railway track, bridges, culverts and supplying of rolling from Omanthai to Pallai. Six crossing stations in Puliyankulam, Mankulam, Killinochchi, Murkkandy, Elephant Pass and Paranthan with one sub station at Murkkandy temple will be reconstructed under this project.

Latest technology will be utilized for the construction and the track structure would consist long welded rails and concrete sleepers. Sri Lanka Railway’s General Manager P.P. Wijesekara and Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha signed an agreement yesterday at the Ministry.

Addressing the occasion, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said the trains now operating up to Thandikulam would be extended to Omanthai shortly.A new railway station in Omanthai is now being reconstructed at an estimated cost of Rs 20 million.

He said 27 railway stations from Thandikulam to KKS are to be reconstructed anew by 27 sponsors who had already been found by the Government under theUthuru Mithuru project.

The Army is presently de-mining the area so that the railway line can proceed northwards,he said.

The Government estimates that nearly Rs 14 billion would be spent to restore the entire rail track by 2010 under the Uthuru Mithuru program.