President to open Jaffna-KKS railway line

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will open the Northern railway line from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai (KKS) on January 2 by inaugurating the north bound Yal Devi train up to Kankesanthurai.

Currently, the train travels from Colombo to Jaffna. It will be extended to reach the Kankesanthurai Railway Station from January 2, IRCON International Limited Project Director S.L.Gupta said.

The famous north bound Yal Devi train will leave for Kankesanthurai on January 2, linking the North and South by rail for the first time in 25 years.

Gupta said the 18 km Jaffna-Kankesanthurai railway line and the novel signaling and telecommunication system were reconstructed by IRON International LTD at a cost of US$ 40 million under a concessionary credit line of about US$ 800 million provided by the Indian government for the Northern Railway Reconstruction Project.

There are three main stations in Jaffna, Chunnakam and Kankesanthurai and six other sub stations in Kokuvil, Kondavil, Inuvil, Chunnakam, Mallakam, Tellippalai and Maviddapuram located on the segment from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai. "This segment from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai has been completed on schedule," Gupta said. The reconstructed railway track has been designed with a speed potential of 120 kmph. Rail joints are minimised using the latest modern welding technology.

Pre-stressed concrete sleepers have been used to lay the tracks, instead of the traditional wooden sleepers. This ensure durable and stronger tracks, simultaneously helping to preserve the environment," he said.

CMS (Cast Manganese Steel) crossings with standard turnouts, long welded rails with switch expansion joints, panel interlocking and flash butt welding have been incorporated to provide a long-lasting track, with minimal maintenance effort.

"For the execution of the project, local manpower and agencies have been deployed to generate employment and skills development," Gupta said.

He said the people of the North can now travel to the South by train after three decades. This stretch of rail track was totally destroyed by LTTE terrorists during the war. "The first section of the re-constructed 63-kilometre railway track from Omanthai to Kilinochchi of the 146-kilometre Northern Railway Line was opened for train travel on September 14 last year. It was further extended up to Pallai since March 4 this year," he said.

The Pallai-Jaffna section was also commissioned on October 13. The construction of the Northern railways line represents a milestone in the historic partnership between India and Sri Lanka rooted in civilisational ties of history, language, culture, religion and trade.

Yapa said the northern people are eagerly waiting to see the Yal Devi train travel up to Kankesanthurai.

"That is why, the Northern railway track project was expedited. The resumption of train services to Kankesanthurai would provide a boost towards restoration of normal life, generation of livelihood-related activities and promotion of connectivity, not only within the Northern Province, but also with the rest of the country, thereby promoting development and greater integration," Gupta said. After the terrorist war ended in May 2009, the Yal Devi recommenced operations to Thandikulam on June 6, 2009 and then extended its run to Omanthai on May 29, 2011.

The contract to reconstruct the 96 kilometre railway line between Omanthai and Pallai was awarded to IRCON International, the Indian state-owned engineering and construction company and the project was to cost US$ 185 million.

In July 2011 it was announced that IRCON had also been awarded the contract to reconstruct the 56 kilometre line between Pallai and Kankesanthurai.

-dailynews