By Don Asoka Wijewardena
Restoration of the signal and telecommunication systems of the railways in the Northern Province would commence shortly, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said yesterday. Under the project, all systems, between Anuradhapura and Kankesanthurai (208 km) and Medawachchiya to Talaimannar (105 km) would be modernized.
The project would also include the construction of three railway tracks and rehabilitation of 76 level crossings. This would cost US 86.5 million dollars. The Indian government’s IRCON Company had undertaken the completion of the project, he told a media conference at the Transport Ministry yesterday.
Minister Welgama said that the government was keen to provide better railway services to people in the Northern Province as it had been liberated. The rehabilitation and modernization of all stations, level crossings and railway signal and telecommunication systems were long-felt necessities, he said.
He pointed out that to develop the second phase of the Southern Expressway, train services between Galle and Aluthgama would be temporarily halted. Under phase 2, a new railway track, 53 km-long would also be constructed. The Sri Lankan Railway would receive 20 power sets from India. The country had already received 7 sets and they were in operation.
Minister Welgama added that the Southern Expressway Railway Track development work and other development activities of the railway would be completed by May 2012. The government was optimistic that the SLR would be able to provide better transport service in the near future.
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