Sri Lanka launches Inter-city train service using India-made diesel units
(EPT): Sri Lanka has launched a luxury train service that connects the country’s Tamil-dominated Jaffna district to the capital city Colombo with the help of a Line of Credit offered by India. The intercity rail service launched on Sunday will cover a distance of approximately 386 kilometers.
The train service will criss-cross the island nation, connecting the capital city of Colombo with Kankesanthurai on the northern tip of the Jaffna Peninsula, which has a Tamil-majority population.
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka called it “another significant landmark in India-Sri Lanka ties”.
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted “Powering Sri Lanka railway infrastructure forward!! The train service launched today to the Northern Province highlights 2 key pillars of Flag of India’s development partnership with #lka – infrastructure development and country-wide focus,” .
The launch ceremony was attended by Sri Lankan Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and India’s Deputy High Commissioner Vinod K Jacob. Supplied by RITES under an Indian line of credit these (AC DMUs) will help facilitate quicker travel between western & northern provinces of Lanka, officials said.
Under the loan facility, India had provided AC Diesel Multiple Units (AC DMUs) for the train service.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Transport Pavithra Wanniarachchi undertook the inaugural ride.
India’s Deputy High Commissioner Vinod K Jacob welcomed her at the Colombo Fort Station.
The supply of AC Diesel Multiple Units (AC DMUs) is just one of the many railway projects undertaken by India in Sri Lanka. There are also other ongoing projects, which include supply of passenger coaches by RITES under an Indian Line of Credit. RITES has already supplied 120 of the 160 coaches under this project.
Another Indian company, IRCON, is executing a project for up-gradation of railway tracks between Maho-Anuradhapura-Omanthai in the island nation.
India’s total development portfolio in Sri Lanka is over USD 3.5 billion, of which around USD 570 million are for purely grant projects.
“This train service will facilitate people-to-people exchange and will lay emphasis on mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” Jacob said.
Wanniarachchi thanked the Indian government for its continued support to Sri Lanka in tackling the ongoing pandemic.