Fixing Sri Lanka’s cyclone hit railway tracks to cost over $330 million, says Deputy Minister
EconomyNext: Sri Lanka will have to spend more than $ 350 million to re-build railway tracks damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena said.
Upcountry tracks were the most severely damaged while the Northern and Southern coastal tracks were the least affected.
The Rambukkana to Kadugannawa track is estimated to cost $ 74 million, Deputy Minister Gunasena said in comments broadcast over Sri Lanka’s Derana television.
The Nanu Oya to Badulla track, one of the most severely affected lines, was estimated to cost around $ 127 million, to his recollection.
Re-building the Gampola to Nawalapitiya track was estimated at $ 35 million and Kotawella to Nanuoya track was estimated at $ 68 million.
The Kadugannawa to Peradeniya section of the track is estimated to cost around $ 2 million.
Replacing a Colonial-era bridge Peradeniya in Kandy, popularly known as the ‘Yaka Palama,’ with a double-tracked bridge would cost at least $ 18 million.
The Northern track between Mahawa and Kankesanthurai is expected to cost around $ 4 to 5 million.
The Batticaloa line would also add to the cost, he said.
“We have spent a huge amount of money to bring the Department of Railways back to what it was before Cyclone Ditwah,” Gunasena said.
“But we will be in a better position. The tracks will be new with newer technology. So, there will be an improvement.
Rockfalls and landslides from Cyclone Ditwah had damaged tracks in 91 places with 73 bridges and 38 smaller culverts also hit, officials had said earlier.
The railway track was ‘hanging’ in 15 places with the ground disappearing from under the tracks, General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Padmapriya, had said immediately after the cyclone, that only a third of the tracks were operable.
Sri Lanka has increased capital spending by 1 percent of gross domestic product to 2 percent in 2026 in a revised budget for Cyclone Ditwah related damages.
OSL take:
Cyclone Ditwah that caused much devastation to Sri Lanka’s infrastructure, has in turn presented a host of business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors on the lookout for such. The development of Sri Lanka’s road and rail network has presented many business/investment opportunities. Given that Sri Lanka is on the path to becoming a regional hub, a strong internal connectivity system, like roads and rail tracks, play a key role. While there are funds pledged and received by Sri Lanka for some development programmes, it would help in carrying out the development of the key infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities. The projects with funds available can be looked at for direct business opportunities while there are other projects where foreign businesses/investors could present funding opportunities as well as technical expertise as well. Foreign businesses/investors therefore could explore the expanding busines/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s development programme as well as explore opportunities to further expand operations through partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260112/Z_4 |