Six new power sets for Northern line

Irangika Range

The government will import six new power sets from China for the Northern railway line. China's Exim Bank will provide a loan of US$ 80 million, a Transport Ministry spokesman said. "These new power sets will be deployed on the two main railway tracks of Omanthai- Kankesanthurai and Medawachchiya-Talimannar on the Northern railway line," he said.

The spokesman said the railway line from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai is being reconstructed and the Indian Company, IRCON has undertaken the construction of the railway line. The distance from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai is 152 km which is being reconstructed at US $ 149.3 million financed by Exim Bank of India. The project is expected to be completed by April next year.

Meanwhile, the construction of the 106 km railway track from Medawachchiya to Talimannar is expected to be completed by December next year.

In the first phase, the 43 kilometre track from Medawachchiya to Madhu was reconstructed at US $ 81.3 million and it has already been opened to the public last month. Under the second stage, the Madhu-Thalaimannar railway line is being built at US $ 149.74 million. Accordingly, arrangements have been made by the Transport Ministry to resume train services on the two railway line- Omanthai-Kankesanthurai and Medawachchiya-Talimannar by next year. The spokesman said the people of the North are eagerly waiting to see the Yal Devi train travel up to Kankesanthurai. "This is the reason the Transport Ministry decided to expedite the Northern railway track project," he said.

The spokesman said plans are afoot to commence two express trains and two night mail trains on the Colombo Fort-Kankesanthurai line and one express train from Colombo Fort to Talimannar.