New Locomotives from India to Speed up Northern Rail Project. Ircon International, a State Owned Construction Firm Operating under Indian Railways is Executing 252km Northern Railway Track Reconstruction Project

31st March 2013, www.sundayobserver.lk

Three new locomotives, built at India's Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, have arrived at the Colombo Port to speed up the Northern Rail project. These Locomotives are for the Sri Lanka Railway as part of the ongoing Northern Railway reconstruction project.

IRCON, General Manager S L Gupta said that three more locomotives would also be supplied to the Sri Lanka Railway under the Northern Railway project shortly. "These rail projects spreading over 250 kilometres in length are being funded as part of $ 800 million line of credit extended by the Indian Government."

Ircon International Limited, a state owned construction firm of India, operating under the Indian Railways is executing the 252 km-long northern railway track reconstruction project.

It was set up in 1976 by the Government of India as a wholly owned entity of the Ministry of Indian Railways and was then known as the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited.

"As the name indicates, initially, its primary charter was the construction of railway projects in India and abroad. Subsequently, the company diversified into the other transport infrastructure segments with its expanded and diversified scope of operations across the world," said Gupta.

"IRCON's growth to become a global construction firm was steady and fast. It has been a consistent winner of the 'Highest Foreign Exchange Earner' award in the construction sector in India for many years competing with many private construction companies."

"Under the Indian lines of credit, these railway lines from Medawachchiya to Talaimannar Pier and Omanthai to Kankesanthurai are being reconstructed. An ultra modern signalling and telecommunication system is also being installed under these lines of credit," said Gupta.

Being a state-owned construction company under Indian Railways and being globally recognised railway infrastructure builders, IRCON was the natural choice for this reconstruction project funded by the Government of India. When reconstructed, the track will be a modern railway line.

The Kalutara-Matara coastal railway line segment is also being upgraded by IRCON. The track is designed for a speed of 120 kmph with a smooth and comfortable riding quality.

Modern technology, such as flash butt welding, long welded rails, cast manganese steel crossing with standard turnouts are being used in the reconstruction. "No wooden sleepers have been used in constructing the entire track thus aiding forest conservation," said Gupta.

The project which has created employment opportunities for 2,000 Sri Lankans directly and many more thousands indirectly, will help the people of the Northern Province have a continuous train service from Jaffna or Talaimannar to Colombo once these railway lines become operational.

"IRCON and the Government of India are pleased to be part of Sri Lanka's development, while further strengthening the ties of friendship and solidarity between our two countries," said Gupta.

Ircon is a one of the largest engineering construction organisations of India and are pioneers in railway construction.

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Sri Lanka Upgrades Rail Track on South Coast to Speeds up to 100 Kilometres an Hour

16th February 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka inaugurated a rail track on the south coast upgraded with Indian aid to enable train speeds of up to 100 kilometres an hour, reducing travel time, Wednesday, a statement said.

The Galle-Matara track of 42 kilometres has been up-graded by India's state-owned IRCON to world standards, the Indian high commission said.

The project is the first phase of the overall coastal rail project between the capital Colombo and Matara being done with an Indian government loan of 167.40 million US dollars to rebuild areas affected by a tsunami.

"The work on phase-II of the project from Galle to Kalutara (just south of Colombo) has already commenced and would be completed early next year," the statement said.

IRCON is also doing several other rail projects as part of the government of India’s rehabilitation and reconstruction support in the north of the island.

India has offered a credit line of 800 million dollars for reconstruction of the railway system in the north after the island's 30-year ethnic war ended in 2009.

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Sri Lanka Selects IRCON International India to Reconstruct Northern Railway Line from Medawachchiya to Thalaimannar

17th August 2010, www.colombopage.com

Sri Lanka signed a commercial agreement with India today for Indian assistance to reconstruct the Northern Railway Line from Medawachchiya to Thalaimannar that was destroyed during the three decades of conflict.

S.L. Gupta, General Manager of IRCON International, an Indian company constructing the railway line signed the commercial agreement on behalf of India while Chairman of Sri Lanka Railways P.P. Wijesekara signed for Sri Lanka in the presence of Sri Lankan Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama and Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha.

The reconstruction will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase the 43 kilometer track from Medawachchiya to Madhu will be reconstructed at a cost of US $ 81.3 million. Madhu to Thalaimannar segment will be built at a cost of US $ 149.74 million.

Speaking at the occasion, High Commissioner Kantha has noted that the line of credit of USD 81.3 million is part of a larger package of assistance directed at the rehabilitation of railway infrastructure in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, for which Government of India has committed a total amount of US $800 million in lines of credit on highly concessional terms.

The Indian High Commissioner said the reconstruction of the Medawachchiya-Thalaimannar railway line is a symbol of the friendship between India and Sri Lanka.

The construction work will be carried out by the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON). Work on the Northern Railway Line is expected to start from October 2010.

The Indian government last year extended a US $ 425 million credit line to Sri Lanka to develop its war-damaged rail tracks in the northern region. Under the credit IRCON will be laying tracks on the Omanthai-Pallai sector of the Northern railway line and Madhu- Thalaimannar sector.

According to the Chairman of the Railways the railway line from Omanthai to Pallai will be constructed after the area is cleared of landmines.

India is also assisting in the rehabilitation of the Colombo-Matara rail link through a US $167.4 million line of credit. Work on the Colombo-Kalutara sector of this line is already at an advanced stage and the work on the 42 kilometer Galle- Matara Section is likely to be completed by December 2010.

Sri Lanka has also signed a contract with China National Machinery Import and Export Corp to build the first phase of the 110-kilometer Matara-Kataragama line along the south coast.

In the first phase of the project a 30-kilometer segment of the rail line from Matara to Beliatta along with four stations will be built with Chinese financial assistance. The first phase is to be completed by the end of this year.

The second phase will extend the rail line to Hambantota and the final stage will complete the line to Kataragama.

China is also funding the reconstruction of a 56- kilometer segment of the rail line between Pallai and Kankasanthurai.