Indian PM Modi to inaugurate Talai Mannar Rail Track on 14 March

Friday, 13 March 2015 02:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Successful trial run of Talai Mannar Rail Track conducted

Ircon Project Director S.L. Gupta and other officials of Ircon and CECB at the Talai Mannar station after the trial run and the train on the new track during the trial run

A trial run was conducted on the newly completed railway track between Madhu Road to Talai Mannar Pier on 11 March, covering a distance of 63 kilometres, to ensure its successful commissioning on 14 March by none other than Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Railways Project Director D.K.L.P. Kumara, CECB AGM/Projects T.G.D.T. Dharmawardana and Ircon International Ltd Project Director S.L. Gupta, along with other officers from Sri Lanka Railway, CECB and Ircon undertook the trial run, which commenced from Madhu Road station and ended at the Talai Mannar Pier Station. M.Y.S. Deshpriya GA of Mannar and Chandana Alahakoon , SSP of Mannar, along with their officials also joined the trial run. The officials who went on the trial run said it was successful with comfortable riding quality. The train took less than 50 minutes to complete 63 kilometres of track, with a maximum speed of 90 Kmph. During the trial run, many local people were seen cheering the train. Considerable excitement and enthusiasm was displayed by the public regarding the commencement of train services after such a long gap of more than 25 years The inauguration ceremony to be held at Talai Mannar Pier station will be attended by Minister of Internal Transport Ranjit Madduma Bandara and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. The reconstructed track of 63 kilometres is the last segment of the 265 kilometre long prestigious Northern Railway Line Reconstruction Project which is being executed by Ircon International Ltd, a Government of India owned company under Indian lines of credit. This section has five crossing stations at Murukan, Mannar, Pesalai, Talai Mannar and Talai Mannar Pier, along with three halt stations at Mathotham, Thiruketheeswaram and Thoddaveli.