500 Kms of railway to be added

29 March 2012 12:52 pm - 31 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Acting cabinet spokesman Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today that the government would add 500 kilometers of new railway lines to the existing lines in the next five years, for the first time in railway history.

He said a proposal made by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama for the construction of a new rail road from Embilipitiya to Batticaloa via Moneragala and Ampara received the cabinet approval to realise the target.

He said the Cabinet accordingly, decided to entrust the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau to have a pre-feasibility study on this project. On an earlier decision a feasibility study has been conducted by the Moratuwa University to extend the Kelani Valley Railway line from Avissawella to Hambantota via Ratnapura, Embilipitiya and Mattala.

The thinking of the government is that a railway line would act as a major factor to take development to the periphery and the new railway lines would be a boost to industrial and agricultural and tourism development in the rural areas, Minister Yapa stressed. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)

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Comments - 31

ind Friday, 30 March 2012 03:27 AM

I think it's better to go through Panadura-Ratnapura-Ambilipiiya. We can have much straiter and go with A8 route as well.

Mista Sunday, 01 April 2012 07:34 AM

i tink ,its always good to make metro trains which is even more safe and reliable ........ so that our donkey ppl have no way of committing suicide attacks...

xlntgson Saturday, 31 March 2012 04:42 PM

Announcement jet speed, work on tracks of trains move at snails pace!

RajasH Friday, 30 March 2012 10:30 PM

Railways, Sea Planes, express ways, airports, sky planes...soon rocket to the Moon?

warra85 Friday, 30 March 2012 10:55 AM

the introduction of electric trains should be done, if the gov does a proper feasibility study they should kn that while fuel prices go up so will the cost of running desal powerd engines. not only r these noise poluters but are becoming obsolete technology.. what happened to the project Micro cars SL was trying to do they approached the gov several years ago to develop the countries first electric train. but they were ignored. this is why the country looses people with skils.

KattaSambol Friday, 30 March 2012 08:11 AM

Absolutely Colombians and local foreigners can't stomach this.

Gamini senarath Friday, 30 March 2012 07:59 AM

What happened to Mathara-Katharagama track!!!!!!!

KattaSambol Friday, 30 March 2012 07:56 AM

Hasantha don;t talk nonsense. Don't look at things negatively.

garawi Friday, 30 March 2012 07:24 AM

Isn't Matara extension to Hambantota better than Embilipitiya Hambantotatfor the distance and environment reasons and distance wise ??

jegath Friday, 30 March 2012 07:33 AM

wat abt the Railway to Jaffna?? The project was told to b finished in mid of 2010 and lot of money collected from all over the country.. What happened then ? Now its another 3 months to the mid of 2012!!

Prabath Friday, 30 March 2012 04:17 AM

Please maintain existing railway lines and trains. People can't travel in carriages during rainy days. Water comes in.

mohamed razmit Friday, 30 March 2012 04:22 AM

thanks for mahinda chindhanaya

Shiiraan S Friday, 30 March 2012 04:32 AM

Good forward thinking by the government.

Ran Friday, 30 March 2012 04:14 AM

Good, but next 5 years may be too long

Another Friday, 30 March 2012 03:27 AM

Improve the railway to handle container traffic. All major stations to have container handling facility so all export / import organizations in that vicinity transport their containers only to that station. Finally extend a line up to Colombo harbor.

ind Friday, 30 March 2012 03:30 AM

Yes, I can remember, That line went like a snake searching Teak trees !!!!

dutugamunu Thursday, 29 March 2012 01:27 PM

Good project .. pls see if you can finish the project in our life time.

Neomal Perera Friday, 30 March 2012 02:04 AM

The KV line which extended up to Opanaike passing Ratnapura was dismantled long ago and now since everyone has forgotten about it these people are trying to re lay claiming it is "adding" railway line!

Chandika Thursday, 29 March 2012 11:53 PM

Good... similer to the domestic airport in Kandy.

Ravi Thursday, 29 March 2012 09:04 PM

this is not the "first" extension - First extension was done at the Premadasa period from A'pura to mihintale, and he started matara hambantota extension also, 94 gov. abandoned the project

mohamed Thursday, 29 March 2012 08:00 PM

Sir, what happened to the long time pending railway line project from Batticaloa to Kataragama via Ampara?

mama Thursday, 29 March 2012 05:28 PM

just develope the existing rail system in sri lanka, no need for more lines. I wanted to buy a ticket from negomgo to waikkal, just a ten minutes ride. when i asked for the ticket just 15 minutes bevor the train arrive in negombo, the station officer, unpolite like all in sri lanka, said tickets are only available bevor 5 minutes from arrival time!!! only possible in a banana republike like sri lanka. lazy people on public posts, what a banana republic

krishan Thursday, 29 March 2012 05:23 PM

Nice to hear that, first time in the history SL gov appointed locals for consultants. Gov has to think about the return on investment b4 making any big deals. Gov should have consider subway system instead of big lines this will reduce the traffic and pollution in our country.

freehit Thursday, 29 March 2012 04:55 PM

Any new rail track should be linked to Colombo, which is the economic center. Therefore extension of the existing line from Avissawella to Hambantota would be a better idea as it would connect the two major sea-ports. However I'd like to endorse the earlier comments which say that the govt. must finish the work in hand first.

pandu Thursday, 29 March 2012 03:29 PM

This is due to so many bends in the Avissawella line.Gov needs to straight it first. I don’t think they have the money.

Mad Cow 670 Thursday, 29 March 2012 03:31 PM

Britain might make the rail lines a lot sooner, since they had the experience of the first ones.

Mohammed Hiraz Thursday, 29 March 2012 03:34 PM

very good

Ruhunu Kolla Thursday, 29 March 2012 02:06 PM

Another chinise funded white elephant project?

Granite Paashaana Thursday, 29 March 2012 02:02 PM

first things first. What happened to Uthuru Mithuru - Northen railway track and the Katharagama track projects? Why not finish them first? Also, just 58km to Avissawella take 3hours, how long would it take to Hambanthota via Avissawella, 10hours?

Granite Paashaana Thursday, 29 March 2012 02:19 PM

first things first. What happened to Uthuru Mithuru - Northen railway track and the Katharagama track projects? Why not finish them first? Also, just 58km to Avissawella take 3hours, how long would it take to Hambanthota via Avissawella, 10hours?

Hasantha Thursday, 29 March 2012 01:58 PM

Don't try to mislead the people. First try to maintain the railway lines which already existed. What has happned to Matara - Kataragama railway line. Please finish it. try to extend a third line to Gampaha and Panadura.

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500 Kms of railway to be added

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