MATARA-BELIATTA RAILWAY STRETCH TO BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER

Engineers are hopeful that the 27 km stretch of railway from Matara to Beliatta in the proposed Matara – Kataragama railway would be completed by September this year.

Project Engineer A.g.c.wimalasuriya said a consignment of rails for the project had arrived in the Magampura Port in Hambantota and plate-laying would commence in early May. He said the Matara – Hakmana main road would be temporarily closed at the Gabada street, compelling people to use alternative routes.

Engr. Wimalasuriya said 85 percent of stage 1 of the project that included 16 underground crossroads, 8 overhead crossroads, two main bridges, 12 ordinary bridges and two tunnels were now complete. He said the railway stations at Kekenadura, Bambarenda, Weurukannala and Beliatta were now being built.

He said construction work of the project costing US$278 million had been undertaken by the China Machinery Import and Export Company. Engr. Wimalasuriya said the public would have the opportunity to travel by train from Colombo to Beliatta by the end of this year.