Talaimannar train service to resume soon:

Linking India again by rail

By Ranil Wijayapala

It was exactly a century ago during the British colonial period, on February 24, 1914 that Ceylon (Sri Lanka) created historic relations with neighbouring India by constructing a railway line up to Talaimannar to connect the train services of India and Sri Lanka via a ferry service. The relationship that was created centuries ago however ground to a halt due to LTTE terror that engulfed the entire North in 1984.

Rail bus plying between Medawachchiya and Madhu Road

Railway construction nearing completion at the Talaimannar pier

Talaimannar pier

The increased terror activities by the LTTE made Mannar a distant location even for the locals in the early 1990s when terrorists blasted the Mannar railway bridge and the others along the Medawachchiya - Talaimannar line, resulting in a train journey to Mannar a pipe dream for the Southerners.

The decades-long infrastructural damage caused by the LTTE terror made the areas in the North inaccessible to many locals as they thought it was a difficult task to reach those destinations. However, five years after ending the humanitarian operation many of those hopes are blossoming into reality as many destroyed infrastructure were being restored by the Government.

Restoration of the ravaged infrastructure during the three-decades-long conflict, in the North has reawakened the close relations among ethnically divided communities due to the conflict in the country.

The Yal Devi train to Jaffna from Colombo after 24 years could revive the bond between the South and the North that was buried in the three decades long conflict. Now the Southerners and the Northerners can travel in the same train renewing their distanced friendship.

Likewise, the locals who are keen to taste the dried fish and crabs from Mannar, Hindus who are keen to visit the historic Thiruketheeswaran kovil and those who are keen to see huge Baobab tree close to Talaimannar railway station will get the chance to make their dream a reality after a safe train journey to Talaimannar with the restoration of the train service in the next two months.

Reality

According to the Transport Ministry the restoration of the train service to Mannar will soon become a reality as the IRCON International Limited which had undertaken the task of restoring the Medawachchiya - Talaimannar track as part of the agreement reached between Sri Lanka and India to restore the destroyed northern railway lines strengthening the close relationship between the two countries and exhibiting India's commitment towards the conflict-affected people in the North.

IRCON International Limited is a company that comes under the purview of the Government of India under the Ministry of Railways which was first incorporated under the Companies Act of 1956 under the name of Indian Railway Construction Company Limited. It has the reputation as a leading construction company in infrastructure projects known for its quality, commitment and consistency in terms of performance.

One who had visited Mannar during the war and soon after the end of the conflict will understand how difficult it was to restore a rail line that was destroyed in some places, leaving no trace of a rail track.

The rail track which was pilferred by the LTTE to construct their bunkers and to lay mines has to be completely cleared to restore the track to the present status.

Amidst facing those huge challenges the IRCON International Limited is now completing the second phase of the Taliamnnar rail track from Madhu Road to Talaimnnar pier after completing the phase I from Medawachchiya to Madhu Road and commencing the train service up to Madhu Road.

In the first phase, the 43 kilometre track from Medawachchiya to Madhu Road was reconstructed at a cost of US $ 81.3 million. Under the second phase Madhu Road -Talaimannar railway line is being built at a cost of US $ 150.74 million.

The entire stretch of Medawachchiya - Talaimannar line spanning 106 kilometres was first opened in 1914 and runs up to at the Talaimannar Pier. The train service on the rail line was stopped in 1990 after LTTE blasted the Mannar bridge in June 1990.

The remnants of the Mannar bridge which connects the mainland and the Mannar island remained a symbol of the LTTE terror on infrastructure facilities of the common masses and it almost became a symbol of broken relations of the two communities. However, today after toiling years long labour and with use of latest technology used by IRCON International Limited the five kilometres long bridge has been restored to facilitate the train services upto Talaimannar pier.

Survey

The reconstruction of the rail track has been completed in 10 steps by conducting survey work, clearing the land, completing the earth work for the track, laying of ABC, installing ballasting, spreading sleepers, placing of rails and track linking, connecting the rails using flash bud welding, final balasting over the newly laid track and tamping.

According to IRCON International Limited by using the modern technology in restoring the rail track, they have improved the speed of the track up to 120 kilometres per hour, and has improved the riding comfort by laying long welded rails.

The maintenance cost of the railway track has also be reduced by using the modern technology in the construction of the rail track.

There are 11 railway stations including Neriyakulam, Chettikulam, Madu Road, Murunkan, Mathottam, Thirukeshwaram, Mannar, Thondawil, Pesalai, Talaimannar and Talaimannar Pier along the Talaimannar line from Medawachchiya.

The IRCON International Ltd has also ensured the safety and reliability through the installation of modern signalling and telecommunication system.

They have transferred the latest technology on railway construction to the Railway Department and also has generated direct and indirect employment for the locals throughout the implementation of the project.

According to Railway Department officials, most of the rails and sleepers have been imported from India to facilitate the project. They have been designed under Indian railway standards which are very similar to Sri Lanka standards.

Three major bridges have been constructed to facilitate the project and there will be a 100 foot three span bridge, and a 100 foot two span bridge.

The Talaimannar pier is 960 feet in length. Five crossing stations and three sub-stations will be set up between Madhu Road and Talaimannar.

The five main stations will be Murunkan, Mannar, Pesalai, Talaimannar and the Taliamannar Pier. The other three halts are located at Manthottam, Thiruketheeswaram and Thoddaweli.

Although the track has a design speed of 120 kilometres per hour, normally a train can run at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour.

Therefore, the rail track will facilitate to reach Talaimannar within one and half hours from Medawachchiya. It will also provide close links with major economic hubs such as Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Colombo, Galle and Matara.

Since the completion of the Medawachchiya - Talaimannar rail track, the Talaimannar pier will pave the way for the shortest link between India and Sri Lanka. It will provide an opportunity to restart the ferry service between Talaimannar and Rameswaram which had to halted in 1984.

Discussions are going on between the two countries to restart the ferry service with the resumption of the train service to Taliamannar.

Restoration

According to economic specialists the restoration of the Talimannar line will create closer links between India and Sri Lanka with the possibility of restarting the ferry service between India and Sri Lanka, further boosting economic and social links between the two countries.

Since the restoration of the rail track to Taliamannar, links will be created with major economic hubs in the South, enabling the traders in the south to transport goods to and from Mannar making Mannar, another bustling economic hub in the country.

Therefore, there is potential for the Mannar town to be developed as a modern commercial hub in Sri Lanka with close international links across the sea while giving major push for Sri Lanka and India to strengthening the relationship over the issues over the Palk Strait.

"This is very good for Sri Lanka and India, and it will be a good opportunity for tourism as well. The Northern people will find that it is the shortest and the cheapest way of travelling to India and engage in trade between the two countries", he said.