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Kilinochchi which was the main area of LTTE concentration and the nerve centre of terrorist activity, with people’s welfare and development activities totally neglected, saw the silver lining of peace and prosperity after Government Forces recaptured the district in January 2009.
IRCON International Limited, the Government of India undertaking in conjunction with Sierra Global Network Private Limited, a leading infrastructure development firm is currently constructing the famous Kilinochchi Railway Station to be ceremonially opened within the next three months, after which the ‘Yal Devi’ train would commence to operate for the north bound commuters.
Further, by the end of the year the railway track up to Kankasanthurai, the last point of the railway line in the Northern tip of Sri Lanka, would be completed which would enable those Jaffna bound people to travel by the ‘Yal Devi’.
The 43-km long reconstructed railway track between Medawachchiya and Madhu Road represents the first phase of the project to reconstruct the Northern Railway Line, covering a total length of 252-km was ceremonially opened few weeks ago in the presence of senior management of IRCON and Sierra Global.
Sierra Global has played a vital role in the post-war development in Northern Province, where the company has established its Regional Office in Kilinochchi in middle of year 2010, making the first telecommunication infrastructure development company to moving in to the Newly Liberated Area (NLA) with the full strength.
Sierra Global is currently undertaking the construction of Fiber Optic Cable (FOC) along the Northern Railway Line from Anuradhapura to Kankasanturai and from Medawachchiya to Talaimannar Pier which is also falling under the Northern Railway Line construction Project.
“If there was a symbol to represent the strong bonds of friendship between the Southern people and the Northern people of Sri Lanka, it was the ‘Yal Devi’ train. Therefore, it is the ‘Yal Devi’ train that gets affected first if there are strained relations between the North and the South and the incidents during the three-decades-long terrorism proved this fact beyond any doubt. In the same way, restoration of that broken down train service between the North and the South is one of the first things, the people in the North or the South, would embark on once the differences between the North and the South are resolved,” Sierra Global Director/CEO Dr. Arosha Fernando said at the recent site inspection at the new Railway station at Kilinochchi.
“Therefore, re-establishing the Northern rail track and restarting the ‘Yal Devi’ train service is a landmark in the communal harmony of the country in the process of reconciling the communities after ending terrorism. We are at Sierra Global excited and privileged to be part of this historical Northern Railway Line construction Project and have extended our fullest support to our principal, IRCON for a speedy completion of the project hopefully before the set deadlines.”