Railways development projects since 2006
The Railway Department has repaired 155 railway carriages and 26 railway locomotives since 2006 and these carriages and locomotives have been successfully introduced by the Railway into regular service. The department has also successfully renovated 122 Railway Station since 2006.
The Railway has been able to construct new railway bridges over Kaluthara, Keleniya, Pingwatta, Seeduwa, Ja Ela, Polwatu Modera, and Rambukkana at around 1,742 million rupees. The constructions of these new bridges were made possible by foreign funding.
The long awaited Matara- Kataragama Railway Extension has been initiated with construction beginning on the Railway bridges over Nilwala Ganga, Bentota, Kadaluwa, Unawatuna, and Mithigama.
The Railway Department experienced a 29% increase in revenue for the year 2006. The long awaited increases in the passenger and parcel fare rates were largely responsible for this revenue boost as well as the increase in the number of commuters who travel by trains.
The diminishing rolling stocks of the department were invigorated after 15 years with addition of 100 modern Stainless Steel railway carriages from the Peoples Republic of China. These new carriages have been imported at a cost of 27 million US dollars with the soft loan facility provided by the Chinese.
Thirty-five Diesel Multiple Units costing 38.5 million dollars have been ordered from the Peoples Republic of China. Another 3,000 million rupees has been allocated for the purchase of fifteen locomotives from the Peoples Republic of China.
A grant of 167 million rupees has been secured from the Government of India for the renovation of the Colombo – Matara coastal railway line under the technical guidance of RITES of India. Further grant has been secured from India for the importation of 20 Diesel Multiple Units and 3 locomotives from India.
The Railway has started work on the Eastern Railway development project, Keleni Valley development project, Sapugaskanda Line development project and construction of internal container deport started in 2008
Source: Sri Lanka Railways Forum
Tags: bridges, carriages, chinese, Development, eastern railway, ganga, india, loan facility, locomotives, matara, modera, railway department, railway line, rolling stocks, rupees, soft loan, station, technical guidance, unawatuna
