Southern Railway phase two to commence in September

Construction work on the second phase of the Southern Express Railway Line will be started on 1 September 2011. The second phase will be implemented from Galle to Induruwa. The project is planned to be commissioned within six months.

Under the third phase of this project, the railway line will be upgraded from Induruwa to Kalutara. The Minister noted that after completing the project, trains would be able to run at a speed of over 100 kilometers per hour.

The first phase of the project was completed from Matara to Galle.

Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama said that the Government had taken measures to add new 20 power sets and seven engines to the railway service. He said that seven power sets had already been imported. The new engines will be added to the upcountry railway line.

The Minister also said that construction work of the Northern Railway Line from Anuradhapura to Kankesanthurai and Medavachchiya to Mannaramthota would be completed in next two years.