The passenger train from Matara to Beliatta has made its maiden journey this morning (08).

The train has left the Matara railway station and the inaugural ceremony will be held at the open premises at Beliatta railway station following its arrival.

The new railway track was vested with the public under the patronage of Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga in accordance with the project themed ‘Dakunu Lakata Aluth Magak’ (New Road to Southern Sri Lanka).

Concurrent to the inaugural ceremony of Matara-Beliatta railway line, new railway stations at Piladuwa, Weherahena, Kekanadura, Bambarenda, Wewrukannala and Beliatta will be declared open.

A feasibility study on constructing a new 100km-long railway line from Matara to Kataragama was conducted in 1990 and the foundation stone for the project was laid in 1992.

In 2005, it was decided that the Southern railway track should be extended up to Beliatta and the Transport Ministry had entered an agreement with a Chinese company in 2010 to establish this railway line which is 26.75 km in length.

In 2013, the Finance Ministry signed an agreement for a concessionary loan of USD 278 million with the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China.

The first test-run on the newly constructed Matara-Beliatta railway track was conducted on January 6th, 2018. Subsequently, on 8th April of the same year an air-conditioned train powered by Class S12 Diesel engines had set off its maiden journey on the railway track.

Seven trains are scheduled to commute from the newly built Beliatta railway station while 6 trains will conclude their journeys there.

Four major railway stations and 2 sub railway stations have been set up between the Matara-Beliatta railway line, the Ministry of Transport stated.

A first-class ticket from Beliatta to Matara will cost Rs 120 and a second-class ticket is priced at Rs 70 while a third-class ticket will cost Rs 35.

The Matara-Beliatta railway line is set up on the two longest railway bridges on a local railway track, the ministry says.

The Watagala railway bridge, which is 1500m long, is the longest in Sri Lanka, while the railway bridge built across the Nilwala River is the second longest with 1400m measuring in length.

The tunnel near the Kekandura railway station, recorded as the longest tunnel in Sri Lanka, is also encountered along the Matara-Beliatta railway track.

The ministry said, commuting trains between Colombo Fort and Beliatta railway stations will commence this evening.