The Northern Railway started in 1905. Due to terrorist threats, the train service from Vavuniya to Kankesanthurai (KKS) on the Northern Railway was completely stopped. After June 1989, no train ran beyond Vavuniya. The closed railway line, which had been closed for more than 25 years, resumed services in 2009 after the end of the terrorist threat and the reconstruction of the line under Indian assistance. The railway line, which was completely renovated, was rebuilt so that it could travel at a speed of over 100 kilometres per hour with a modern railway signaling system.
 Railway General Manager W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe |
But Vavuniya, which was the Northern railway terminus for over 25 years, was a busy railway station. At that time, 10 passenger trains and two fuel trains ran daily from Colombo to Vavuniya. In addition to running 12 trains daily, the railway line from Mahawa to Vavuniya (to Omanthai) gradually weakened due to the running of service trains and additional trains. This situation further deteriorated with the import of M-10 class heavy duty locomotives from India. The locomotives were running on a 100-year-old railway line, further weakening the railway line from Mahawa Junction to Vavuniya.
Indian loan assistance
Due to this situation, Indian loan assistance was provided for the complete renovation of the Northern Railway. The complete reconstruction of the railway line from Mahawa Junction to Omanthai under two main phases was started on January 8. A complete renovation of the track was undertaken from Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and from Vavuniya to Omanthai under the first phase.
The total length of the railway line from Mahawa Junction to Omanthai is 128 kms. This track has not been fully renovated for over 118 years. Train journeys from Colombo to Jaffna will resume after the completion of the first phase. But the problem is that the train runs at 68 km/h from Mahawa to Anuradhapura. And the speed is limited to 10 km/h in some places. Thus the railway track will also be completely modernised in the second phase under Indian aid.
However, since the rainy season is coming, the Railway Department and India’s IRCON have reached an agreement to maintain the train service and close the railway again for six months from January 2024. The total cost of this project is US$ 91.27 million. The total distance of the railway line from Mahawa to Omanthai is 128 kms and 66.4 kms is covered by the section from Mahawa to Anuradhapura. A team of 600 workers and around 200 pieces of machinery will be used to execute the project.
Tablet signal system
 Equipment used to modernise the railway track
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The railway line from Mahawa to Anuradhapura will be renovated by removing the present tablet signal system set up during the British period and replacing it with a colour signal system. As a result, train delays will be minimal and train safety will also be at a high level. Until now, one train had to run from a main station and wait for the next train to reach the station ahead of it. After the installation of the new signalling system, two trains can run fast one after the other in one direction. Hence, the drivers will be able to run the train safely.
From the Mahawa Junction to Anuradhapura, there will be six modernised railway stations. Among them are Ambanpola, Galgamuwa, Senarathgama, Tambuttegama, Talawa and Shravastipura. Apart from this, the two sub-stations of the Randenigama and Anuradhapura New Town will also be developed. Along with the renovation of the railway line, the positions of Galgamuwa, Tambuttegama and Talawa stations will also change. The Galgamuwa and Talawa railway stations will be moved near the highway and an access road will be built from the Tambuttegama railway station to the highway.
Rs.4,500 million has already been allocated under Indian loan assistance for the complete modernisation of the railway colour signal system. After the construction of this line, it will be possible to travel to Anuradhapura in less than three hours from Poson (June) 2024. Commenting on this issue, Railway General Manager W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe said that since the ground needs to be strengthened for the construction of the railway line, it will be necessary to stop the train operation completely and carry out the renovation work.
 Minister of Transport, Highways and Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardena inaugurating modernisation work on the railway track between Mahawa and Omanthai |
He said that after the complete construction of the track, it will be possible to travel to Jaffna in about five hours and in the future, efforts will be made to give priority to the transportation of passengers and goods. Under this project, the length of the loop line (the train stopping line without a platform at major stations) will be increased and a train with a length of about 20 carriages can be parked on that line.
Passenger ferry service
The General Manager said that all railway stations will also be modernised to match the colour signal system. As a passenger ferry service will also be started from KKS to India, the rail service to the North will become more popular. Jaffna-bound passengers on Alliance Air flights from Chennai will also be able to use the railway to come to Colombo. The Indian IRCON company has also used local technology in the reconstruction of railways. Under this program, vehicles such as tractors were used for the renovation work of the railway track. After the renovation work on the railway line from Mahawa to Omanthai is started from next January, the train service between Anuradhapura and Jaffna will still run, but the railway will suspend the trains running on the Northern route from Colombo except for the Rajarata Rajina train from Beliatta in the deep South.
The Railway Department will get much revenue in the future due to the modernisation of the railways. Also, some new trains will have to be added to the fleet. When the Indo-Lankan sea travel begins, not only the people of the North but also those in the South will use the railway as it is an inexpensive way to reach the entire country.
When the Northern railway line from Mahawa Junction to Omanthai was undergoing modernisation work, Minister of Transport, Highways and Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, paid special attention to it and negotiated Indian assistance for it. The country is indeed fortunate to have completed its first phase this coming July.