Rs. 15 billion for railway track extension

by Anura Maitipe

The Railway Development Ministry has asked for Rs. 15 billion for Railway Track Extension Projects (RTEP) on an annual renewal basis for the next ten years, Minister of Rail Track Development Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Observer.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the authorities to complete the extension of the RTEP under two stages. Under first stage, Matara, Kataragama, Padukka, Hambantota via Embilipitiya and Kuruneagala, Habarana via Dambulla will be completed, Minister said. Under the second stage the Ministry is planning to extend existing track from Batticaloa to Pottuvil.

In addition, a new railway track from Embilipitiya to Pottuvil via Buttala and from Kataragama to Badulla will be built, he added. The total extent of railway track in Sri Lanka is 1,449 kilometres and of this, 275 kilometres are not used as a result of destruction caused by the war in the North and East.