ADB Country Director in Sri Lanka, Ms Sri Widowati, told the Daily News that discussions around the proposed project have been completed and ADB hopes to obtain the Sri Lankan government’s approval shortly.
The project will:
- improve the operational efficiency of the network by addressing key operating bottlenecks with the modernisation of telecommunications, ticketing, operations headquarter, and train control centre systems
- upgrade the workshop at Ratmalana, and procure rolling stock and track maintenance equipment
- improve safety mainly through the construction of housing blocks to support the future resettlement of encroachers, and the improvement of Colombo Fort and Maradana stations
- upgrade the Sri Lanka German Railway Technical Training Center (SLGRTTC), and
- support project implementation capacity and readiness, notably for the future modernisation of the Kelani Valley line and other suburban lines.
For a detailed look at ADB’s support of railways in Asia, see the August issue of IRJ.
