Rail track to Mannar
The Ceylon Government Railway has embarked on a project to relay the Railway track between Talaimannar and Medawachchiya, which ceased in 1990, railway sources said.
A top-level technical team comprising senior CGR engineers visited the Mannar region and explored the possibility of reconstructing the railway track between the Talaimannar pier and the Medawachchiya station, sources said. The railway service between the Talaimannar pier and Medawachchiya commenced during British rule in 1914. The total distance between Talaimannar and Medawachchiya is 106 kilometres. In June 1990 the railway service between Talaimannar and Medawachchiya came to standstill following damage to railway property by the LTTE.
According to sources six main stations, five substations and four bridges have to be rebuilt on the Mannar, Medawachchiya stretch. Railway operations from Talaimannar to the South via Medawachchiya were launched by the British to transport the South Indian labour force to the hill country to expand the tea industry. Later the clay was transported from Murungan on the Mannar line to the Kankesanthurai Cement factory, the sources said. AP
Source: The sunday observer
