Sri Lanka Completes Trial Run Of Second AC Train Supplied Under India’s $ 318 Million Line Of Credit

In another significant landmark in bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka, officials from the High Commission of India accompanied by representatives of RITES and the Sri Lanka Railways travelled aboard an air-conditioned train on its successful trial run in Sri Lanka on Friday (18 February).

This AC DMU has been supplied under a US$ 318 million Line of Credit (LoC) from India. The first AC DMU supplied under this LoC was put into operation on 9th January 2022.

The intercity rail service with all facilities was launched for passengers travelling from Colombo’s Mount Lavinia suburb to Jaffna’s Kankesanthurai port suburb in the north, covering a distance of approximately 386 km.

The train service will criss-cross the island nation, connecting Colombo with Kankesanthurai on the northern tip of the Jaffna Peninsula, which has a Tamil-majority population.

The US$ 318 million LoC was finalised in 2014-15 for the supply of railway rolling stock to Sri Lanka, upgradation of railway tracks, and other mutually agreed projects under request and requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Since then, high-quality railway coaches and AC DMUs supplied from India have helped strengthen the railway infrastructure and travel experience in Sri Lanka. Various other projects under this LoC including the upgradation of railway tracks are at different stages of implementation.

Supplied by RITES under an Indian Line of Credit, these AC DMUs will help facilitate quicker travel between Western Province and Northern Province. The supply of AC DMUs is just one of the many Railway projects being undertaken by India in Sri Lanka.

There are also other ongoing projects, which include the supply of passenger coaches by RITES under an Indian Line of Credit. RITES has already supplied 120 of the 160 coaches under this project. Another Indian Company, IRCON is executing a project for the upgradation of railway tracks between Maho-Anuradhapura-Omanthai.

Lines of Credit from India have contributed to the upgradation of the railway line from Colombo to Matara, track laying on sectors such as Omanthai-Pallai; Madhu Church-Tallaimannar; Medawachchiya-Madhu; and Pallai-Kankesanthurai, installing signalling systems, and supply of rolling stock to Sri Lanka railways.

“India looks forward to continuing mutually beneficial cooperation in the transport sector, including in railways where India’s world class capabilities and assistance have contributed significantly to the development of railway infrastructure and facilities, job creation, economic growth, enhanced connectivity and passenger comfort and safety in Sri Lanka,” the High Commission of India said.

India's total development portfolio in Sri Lanka is over USD 3.5 billion, of which around USD 570 million are purely grant projects.