Ridma DISSANAYAKE
'The reconstructed Southern coastal railway line from Colombo to Matara will open today,' Sri Lanka Railways Planning Director Wiyaya Samarasinghe said.
The modernized railway line is Sri Lanka's first high speed line and it will allow trains to run at speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.
The Southern coastal line was reconstructed in three stages. The Indian government had provided USD 168 million to implement the comprehensive project for upgrading the Colombo-Galle-Matara coastal railway track. Construction of the 42 kilometre railway line between Galle and Matara was completed in February 2011 at a cost of USD 36 million. The construction of the railway line between Galle and Aluthgama was completed during the second phase of this development project. The stretch of line from Aluthgama to Galle has been closed for renovation since July 2011.
Development activities of the railway track from Aluthgama to Kalutara South was completed during the third stage of this project.
Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) was entrusted with the construction work. The Railways Department said that modernisation of the track will shorten the current travelling time from Colombo to Matara from 3 hours and 40 minutes to two hours with the operation of high speed trains.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/04/11/news25.asp
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