Resurrecting an old track
Preparations are underway to reopen the Kelani Valley Railway Line between Avissawella and Opanayake.
General Manager, Sri Lanka Railways, Dhammika Jayasundara visited the area yesterday to explore the possibility of renovating and extending the closed railway line to Eheliyagoda.
The Kelani Valley Railway was built as a 2ft 6in narrow-gauge line to transport goods between Avissawella and Yatiyantota; it’s the only narrow-gauge track left in the country.
The possibility of connecting the KV line to Eheliyagoda via Avissawella, Getahetta, Eheliyagoda, Parakaduwa, Kuruwita, Ratnapura,
Thiruvanaketiya, Dela, Watapotha, Kahawatta and Opanayaka railway stations is being considered.
The initial purpose of the rail establishment was to transport coffee, tea, rubber, cinnamon and coconut from the plantations in the Ratnapura and Kegalle Districts to Colombo.
Under the rule of British Governor Sir Henry McCallum in the 19th century, the KV railway line was expanded upto Ratnapura from Avissawella to transport agricultural crops.
However, the railway line was shut down under the ruling of then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The rundown railway stations, large iron bridges, old telephone poles and stone arches still remain. Some components of the line have been all but erased, while some structures have been repurposed.
The Opanayaka Railway Station has been used as the Opanayaka Police Station for some years; and the old building is considered an architectural monument in the Sabaragamuwa Province.
In 1976, the Ratnapura Railway Station in the middle of the town was converted to a central bus stand.
The people of the area have requested Railway officials to reestablish the track after submitting the relevant plans and proposals to the government.