Sri Lanka President monitors development of Northern railway line

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today visited the Omanthai railway station where the construction of the Northern railway line is underway now.


The President monitored the construction work of the rail line after attending the progress review meeting of the Northern Province held in Vavuniya.
Omanthai is around 10 kilometers north from Vavuniya in the Northern Province. During the ceasefire time, the Tamil Tiger rebels controlled a huge territory northward from Omanthai up to Pallai in Jaffna district.
The rail track was demolished by the Tamil rebels beyond Thandikulam of Vavuniya and no trains operated beyond Omanthai for decades. The government started the reconstruction of the rail track following the defeat of the Tamil rebels in 2009.
The construction work of the northern railway line from Vavuniya to Thandikulam has already been completed and the trains are operating up to Thandikulam. The renovation of the ten kilometer railway track from Thandikulam to Omanthai is now being carried out.
Indian government has pledged support to the reconstruction of the rail track. The laying of rail tracks between Omanthai and Pallai on the Northern line is to be launched by visiting Foreign Minister of India, M.S. Krishna, next month.
The government plans to extend the railway services up to Omanthai train station before the end of this year.

(Photos by Sudath Silva)