Latest Cabinet decisions outlined that the Cabinet of Ministers has granted its approval previously to rehabilitate the railway track from Maho to Omanthe at a length of 128 km with the assistance of the Indian Line of Credit so as to bear higher axle loads and to operate in maximum speed of 100km/hr, in view of safe, efficient and comfortable transportation of passenger and goods to the Northern Province. Accordingly, the proposal made by Arjuna Ranatunga, the Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation to award the contract for the construction of the said railway track, to M/s Ircon International Ltd. for a sum of US $ 91.3 million as recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee, was approved by the Cabinet.

Ircon International Limited, formerly Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON), is an engineering and construction, specialized in transport infrastructure. The PSU was established in 1976, by the Government of India under the Companies Act 1956. IRCON was registered as the Indian Railway Construction International Ltd., a wholly (100%) owned entity of the Ministry of Railways. Its primary charter was the construction of railway projects in India and abroad. Ircon has since diversified into other transport and infrastructure segments and with its expanded scope of operations around the world, the name was changed to Indian Railway International Ltd. in October 1995. The Ircon is well known for undertaking challenging infrastructure projects, especially in difficult terrains in India and abroad.

Reporting by Devendra Francis