The construction of the railway line from Mahawa to Anuradhapura was completed and officially handed over to the Railway Department. Project Director Chinthaka Jayasekara handed over the relevant document to Railways Acting General Manager Keerthi Hewawitharana in the presence of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana and other officials.
Renovation of the Anuradhapura–Mahawa railway line, which was implemented at a cost of US$ 92 million with the aim of establishing a regular and efficient transport service in the country, has been completed and was officially handed over to the Sri Lanka Railway Department recently.
The renovation work of the Northern Railway Line which was operated under the loan scheme of the Government of India was carried out in three stages – Anuradhapura–Omanthai, Anuradhapura–Mihintale, and Anuradhapura–Mahawa, Project Director Chinthaka Jayasekara said.
The renovation of the Anuradhapura–Mahawa section was started in January this year under the patronage of Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha and the Railway Department is confident that the train service from Mahawa to Anuradhapura will be operational again from tomorrow (14).
Jayasekara said that the main benefit resulting from this is that the travel time from Colombo to Kankasanturai will be reduced from seven-and-a-half hours to five hours with the renovation of the railway line.
(dailynews.lk)
(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
