News
‘Yakada Yaka’ slowly chugging back on track
View(s):Pix and text by Rekha Tharangani Fonseka
Repairs of the railway bridge near the Sarasavi Uyana station popularly known as ‘Yaka Palama’ or Devil’s Bridge damaged by the flood that followed Cyclone ‘Ditwah’ is in progress, Superintendent of the Upper Railway Line, Danushka Dissanayake told the Sunday Times.
He said that the central pillar of the bridge had tilted due to the disaster and a large part of the soil at the base of the pillar had got washed away.
He said that efforts were made to fill the area washed away in the eroded footing of the bridge with the help of divers.
The bridge renovation work is being carried out under the supervision of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya; the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and Central Engineering Services Limited (CESL).
The superintendent said that the CESL will work together with the Railways Department to complete the bridge.
He said that the renovation work on the bridge, which was at risk of collapsing due to the flood, is being completed as an urgent need, and added that the initial steps of construction have been completed by now, including the installation of the necessary barriers to prevent the water of the Mahaweli River flowing towards the foot of
the bridge.
Over three hundred tons of rubble, debris and silt that had accumulated on the bridge was removed in eleven days.
He said that train services on the upcountry route are being operated from Ambewela to Badulla and that the Odyssey is currently operating from Badulla to Ambewela.
He said that the school train running from Wattegama to Kandy and the school train running from Nawalapitiya to Hatton have also started operating.
Deputy General Manager (Transport) N. J. Idipolage said that about twenty percent of train operations on the Northern Line are currently underway.
He said that while speed limits are being imposed on the Northern Line, Upcountry Line only operates to Rambukkana from Colombo Fort.
Accordingly, train services to Kankasanthurai and Batticaloa will operate with speed limits.
He also said that the Railway Department has taken steps to reconstruct the Kala Oya Bridge with the support of various parties and the tri-forces.
He stated that the rehabilitation of the damaged railway line is currently being carried out with the assistance of the Railway Department, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Peradeniya, and several specialised institutions, and added that train operations will be able to resume as usual.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!