IRCON, an Indian Government entity, fast-tracks Northern railway project
View(s):By Bandula Sirimanna
The India Railway Construction International Ltd, (IRCON), an Indian government-owned business undertaking, has fast-tracked reconstruction work on the crippled 252.5 km railway line in northern Sri Lanka, aiming to complete it by March 2014, company officials said.
S.L. Gupta, IRCON General Manager, told the Business Times that the project will be implemented in four phases under an Indian credit line of US$800 million. The first stretch from Medawachchiya to Madhu Road will be completed next month, followed by Madhu Road to Talai Mannar, and Omanthai to Pallai in July this year and finally the stretch from Pallai to Kankesanthurai in March 2014.
A sum of $382.37 million from the Indian credit line of $800 million will be spent for the entire project, he disclosed.
The company has brought down three new locomotives made in India’s diesel locomotive works, Varanasi to be used for the transportation of material for the railway line re-construction project, he revealed.
Three more locomotives will be exported from India soon for the same purpose, he said, adding that all these six locomotives will be handed over to Sri Lanka Railways after the completion of the project.
It will be added to the countries passenger train service, he disclosed.
Some 550 local and 250 Indian workers including engineers have been deployed to expedite the rail way line re-construction activities and over 2000 indirect employment opportunities have been created, he added.
Another new contract has been signed between Sierra Global and IRCON paving the way for Sierra Global to construct the railway stations between Madhu Road and Talaimannar Pier which are to be completed within a short period.
Sierra Global is constructing a number of railway stations between Vavuniya and Kilinochchi under an earlier agreement.
“We are now carrying out track connection work on these lines,” he told the Business Times, adding; “We will complete our work well ahead of the schedule.”
The remaining work on tracks connecting other major northern towns is due for completion by December this year, he said.
Meanwhile a special committee is to be appointed to control the impact on forest cover in the Northern Province due to Northern Railway line development work, a minister said.
Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha pointed out that a committee comprising representatives from the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) and Forest Conservation Department would be appointed to inspect the project work.
He said field visits should be made by the members of the Committee to estimate the environmental impact of the project and propose alternative means to avoid possible environmental damage.
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