China eyes more infrastructure projects in SL

21 March 2015 02:37 am Views - 6148

Despite concerns over the suspension of the Port City Project, China is eying more investments on infrastructure development projects in Sri Lanka with one Chinese company having submitted a US$760 million proposal for the upgrading of the railway track from Colombo to Kandy.

Shandong High-Speed Group Co. Ltd. has in its proposal said the travel time between Colombo and Kandy or vice versa could be reduced to one hour and 35 minutes when compared with the excess of three hours now necessary for a train trip from the same distance.

Company officials said the proposal was submitted about a year ago, and still held hopes of securing the project.

Company's Deputy General Manager Zhang Jingping told Sri Lankan journalists who visited Jinan that his company sought to modernize five railway stations including the Colombo Fort Railway Station situated along the rail track.

He said his company would also bid for the construction of the northern expressway.

Both India and China have invested in railway projects in Sri Lanka. The reconstruction of the northern railway line was carried out as an Indian Government-funded project. The train service came to a halt during the height of the armed conflict in the North and East.

During his state visit to Sri Lanka, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged US$380 million under an Indian Line of Credit for the development of the railway sector in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, another Chinese company has invested in the ongoing extension of the Southern railway line up to Beliatta.(Kelum Bandara)