Sri Lanka's Maho-Omanthai railway line to be reconstructed with Indian assistance

India's IRCON International Limited and the Sri Lankan government Thursday signed an agreement for around USD 91.26 million to upgrade the 130-km long Maho-Omanthai stretch on the Northern railway line, which is more than 100 years old. Once the project is completed, Jaffna bound trains will be able to travel at a speed of 120-km per hour. At present, maximum sanctioned speed in this section is 60-km per hour.

IRCON Chairman Sunil Kumar Choudhury and L P Jayampathy, Secretary, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka, signed the agreement in the presence of Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka, said a press release issued by the Indian High Commission here. The project will be implemented in two stages from Maho to Anuradhapura and from Anuradhapura to Omanthai at a cost of USD 91.26 million provided under the Indian Line of Credit.

"The total length of the track that will be upgraded under Indian concessional financing between Maho to Omanthai would be around 130 km. This includes 12 crossing stations, 7 halt stations and 78 level crossings. This is the first time the track is being upgraded in 100 years," the release said. India has so far committed Lines of Credit worth around USD 1.3 billion for development of railways in Lanka. The restoration of arterial railway lines, connecting the North and the South after decades of conflict, was undertaken under Indian concessional financing.

The tsunami-affected Southern Railway line was also upgraded under the Indian Line of Credit. India has so far upgraded around 300-km of railway track and provided modern signaling and telecommunication system for around 330-km in Sri Lanka, the release added. In June 2017, India signed a fresh Line of Credit Agreement for USD 318 million for the development of railways in Sri Lanka. Under this Line of Credit, other projects that are underway include procurement of 160 passenger coaches; upgradation of signal and telecommunication system from Maho to Anuradhapura; and setting up of a Railway Workshop in Rathmalana etc.

The procurements of rolling stock from India are also underway including 6 DMUs, 10 locomotives, 20 container carrier wagons, 30 fuel tank wagons, 160 passenger coaches, and 500 buses.