Work on reconstructed Medawatchchiya - Madhu railway line on schedule

Irangika Range

The reconstructed Medawatchchiya - Madhu railway line will be completed on schedule to facilitate devotees travelling to Madhu Shrine this April.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama told the Daily News that the reconstruction of the Medawachchiya- Madhu railway line project funded by the Indian government is in its final stages.

This railway line was completely destroyed during the terrorist conflict which prevented passengers from using it. With the completion of the railway line, those going to the Madhu Shrine will be able to travel by train from Colombo. Minister Welgama said Sri Lanka signed a commercial agreement with India last year to reconstruct the Northern Railway Line from Medawachchiya to Talaimannar, destroyed by the LTTE terrorists. He said that reconstruction work is being carried out in two phases.

Under the first phase, the 43 kilometre track from Medawachchiya to Madhu is being reconstructed at a cost of US $ 81.3 million. The stretch of railway line from Madhu to Thalaimannar will be built at a cost of US $ 149.74 million. The Minister said the reconstruction of the Medawachchiya-Talaimannar railway line is a symbol of friendship between India and Sri Lanka. “The construction work is being carried out by the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) and has been funded as a part of the Line of Credit of US $800 million, which has been extended by the Indian government on concessional terms, “he said.