The Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha officially launched rail track rehabilitation work at Galgamuwa Railway Station today (7).
The launch signaled the start of the second phase of a Line of Credit (LOC) project for track rehabilitation from Maho to Omanthai (128 km), which is being carried out by an Indian Public Sector company, IRCON, under an Indian LOC of USD 318 million.
The entire restoration project from Maho to Anuradhapura, costing USD 91.27 million is expected to be completed within six months.
High Commissioner Jha emphasized the significance of modernizing Railways in Sri Lanka to improve the mobility of goods and services, thus boosting economic activity.
India has provided over USD 1 billion in railway projects to Sri Lanka under five Indian LOCs, with IRCON contributing to modernization by reconstructing the Northern Province railway line network and upgrading the Southern line.
Via a contemporary signaling and telecommunication system, it has also helped to guarantee safety and dependability throughout a 330 km section of the railway line.
The event was attended by State Minister of Mass Media Mr. Shantha Bandara and senior officials from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Transport.
The Government today tabled in the House the Report of the Commission to Inquiry into the Establishment and Maintenance of Unlawful Places of Detention and Torture Chambers in the Batalanda Housing Scheme.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today he wholly rejects the Batalanda Commission report and that it was appointed wholly with the intention slinging political mud at him.
Leader of the National People’s Party (NPP) and one time Propaganda Secretary of the JVP Wimal Weerawansa accused the Government of bringing back the “Batalanda Commission” for a media spectacle instead of a genuine concern for those who suffered during the 1988-1990 period.
Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne to announced to the Parliament regarding the vacant seat created in Parliament due to the resignation of Mohamed Sali Naleem from his position as a Member of Parliament.
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