When a railway project built with Indian assistance was handed over to Sri Lanka at a railway station here on Thursday, it marked a departure from tradition: it was not an Indian Minister who did the honour but the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, who is leading an Indian parliamentary delegation.
The upgraded coastal railway line, costing $167.4 million, was completed ahead of schedule by an Indian public sector company, IRCON. “I am honoured to be here today to hand over the completed section of the railway track between Galle and Kauthara…Today's ceremony marks the completion of work on the Galle to Kaluthara line in a timely and smooth manner by IRCON International,” said Ms. Swaraj at the ceremony.
Work on phase-1 of the project, from Galle to Matara (42 km), commenced in September 2009 and the upgraded track was opened to traffic on February 16, 2011. The phase-2 work (Kauthara to Galle, 71 km) began in November 2010. The section will be open to traffic from April 19. The upgraded track will have a speed potential of 100 kmph.
Ms. Swaraj emphasised that India was committed to working with the government of Sri Lanka toward the consolidation of peace, prosperity and development. “We will continue to remain closely engaged with government of Sri Lanka to advance the process of rehabilitation, reconstruction and national development. We are also committed to enabling a genuine political settlement,” she said.
Ms. Swaraj earlier visited the Kankasanthurai harbour, where India has completed a $22-million wreck removal project. As many as 10 shipwrecks were removed from the harbour.
It will be fit for operations once dredging operations and construction of a breakwater are completed.
Keywords: Sri Lankan Tamils, India-Sri Lanka relations, Indian MPs delegation, Kankasanthurai harbour, Galle railway line
Being a small market and country, Srilanka doing better than
India.India is a time bomb with regards to ethnic and religious
matters...! India would have crushed Pakistan, if Pakistann does not
have nuclear weapons.Now India is reluctant to make a move.That is the
simple truth.India will suffer a long long time for the Kashmir
issue. Never forget that there is a UN resolution on that issue
too. India's recent turn over against Srilanka was purely politically
motivated rather than merits. It is a historival mistake that India
done. Time to come, India will be in the same shoe, and that time we
will see, media, people and the politicians reaction.
Dr.RKRAO,You are sadly mistaken, Srilankan politicians are no exception. They are all same some time worst than the Indian politicians. For an instance when India faces a national crises such as war ect.they get together. In srilanka its quite opposite. In the war against LTTE opposition politicians are ridiculing the government instead of supporting it.It is the pathetic position of the Srilankan politicians.
I don't understand why India is doing so many projects in Sri Lanka. Theres this railways project, then there was housing schemes and funding for maintaince of Buddhist Temples. Our country is a third world nation that gets aid from developing countries, why are we not looking after our poor. There are slums in all cities in India, our railways is in dire need of development and there so many things that need to be looked into. Who gives about Sri Lanka, India needs to focus on India.
Congratulations to Indian Railway for doing an excellent job in Sri Lanka.
It also looks great seeing Sushma Swaraj, handing over the railway line, representing
whole of India. Similar co-operation between the government and opposition should
happen in the Parliament and executive business should be conducted efficiently,
without wasting tax payer's money.
What seems to be happening in India, is an unusual co-operative spirit among all the
politicians who would like to delay, dilute and destroy the anti-corruption ombudsman.
India don't have sufficient infrastructure to sustain even 50 percent of
population. Instead of promoting good projects to uplift poor people, it
is unnecessarily helping Sri Lanka to implement their projects which is
really discouraging considering the fact that Sri Lanka has never tried
to maintain good relations with India especially with reference to the
atrocities committed on Sri Lankan tamils.
Congratulations for IRCON completing the project ahead of schedule.
Please repeat the same in india too.
India should take concrete actions via UN to bring peace including the rights & freedom which Tamils enjoyed to some extent before the end of war in 2009. India gave full support to Colombo during the war and as a result Tamils have even lost the little bit of dignity they enjoyed. What we need is not railway lines in the South opened by the Indian Leaders from BJP or Congress, but reconciliation and political rights so the people can live with piece & diginity in the island. Tamils are now living in a heavily militarised NorthEast with constant fear (chickens are guarded by fox in the north) which India paved the way for with its support referred to above. India was let down convincingly by Colombo. India has only UN to seek help from to achieve a political solution in the island nation, whose Politicians and Buddist Monks won't listen or entertain any form of peace unless forced to by UN.
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