COLOMBO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a railway track that was destroyed during the civil war in Sri Lanka and has been re-built with India's assistance during his visit here this week. India's state-owned Ircon International Limited conducted test runs today on the rebuilt rail line as the last stretch of track, destroyed by war in northern Sri Lanka, was completed.
It will be declared open by Prime Minister Modi on Saturday. The 63-km newly built railway track between Madhu Road and Talaimannar Pier in the northwest is the last segment of the 265 km-long northern railway line reconstruction project.
The railway track from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai in northern Jaffna peninsula and Medawachchiya to Talaimannar Pier were completely destroyed during the ethnic conflict. The Indian government under its development credit policy gave a soft loan of USD 650 million to Sri Lanka to rebuild the railway track at a concessional rate with a repayment period spreading over 20 years and a five year moratorium.
The Northern Railway Line Reconstruction Project is being executed by Ircon. This section has five crossing stations at Murukan, Mannar, Pesalai, Talai Mannar and Talai Mannar Pier, along with three halt stations. Prime Minister Modi, who is due in Colombo on Friday, will be the first Indian Prime Minister since Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 to make a bilateral visit to the island.