One of
the Indian Railways subsidiary companies, IRCON's (IRCON
International Ltd.)efficient project execution and an aid package
worth US$800 in form of a line of credit from India, has made it
possible for Sri Lanka's iconic train “Yal Devi” or “Queen of
Jaffna” to return, after an absence of almost 24 years. The
once-popular train, linking the capital “Jaffna” of the ethnic
Tamil's northern heartland, to the rest of Sri Lanka, was
discontinued in 1990 due to the country’s civil war. IRCON'
railway restoration project in Sri Lanka, has actually restored not
only Jaffna route, but another key rail route also. The Jaffna rail
link connects Omanthai- on Colombo-Jaffna route- to all the way up to
Kankesanthurai, the northern most tip of the island with a naval
base and a port that India is helping rebuild, The other route that
is restored is from Medawachchiya — in the historic city of
Anuradhapura — to Talaimannar. This route is also nearly complete
and is likely to be opened in December 2014.
"Yal
Devi” express train was introduced on Colombo-Jaffna route to cut
down travel time in 1956. Till its run was stopped in 1990, due to
war like condition in north Sri Lanka, it was a popular and a
favoured option for many frequent passengers. People from Jaffna, who
worked in Colombo went home every week end by this train. They would
take the train from Colombo Friday night, and then took the train
back from Jaffna on Sunday night. Though “ Yal Devi” express was
introduced sixty years back, the Colombo-Jaffna railway route is much
older.
1st
August 1905 was a red letter day in the history of Sri Lanka; then
known as Ceylon. It was on this day, that the first ever train had
chugged in the newly built Jaffna station, located in the north of
the country after having travelled all the way from the capital city
of Colombo situated in deep south. The journey had taken 13 hours and
20 minutes to cover a distance of about 350 Km.
Demands
for this line were being made from as early as late 19th century
itself, by the residents of northern Sri Lanka region to the
British administration that ruled Sri Lanka. Responding to the
demands, the Government had appointed “The Jaffna Railway
Commission,” which came out with its report in 1891, recommending
the construction of a new railway line (now known as the Northern
Line) from Polgahawela to Kurunegala and a survey of a line up to
Jaffna city. The proposed line was supposed to join the Main Line at
Polgahawela Junction. Construction work had started in the year 1900
and was completed in 1905. That is when the first train from Colombo
had reached Jaffna.
The
train travelling between Colombo and Jaffna was very popular and
people would even use it to mark time around 1920, by saying “steam
coach has arrived, it’s one o’ clock!” and would plan their day
based on that time marker. Even Mahatma Gandhi had used this train
once to travel to Jaffna. Gandhi was in Ceylon in 1927 to raise
money for India’s poor and on an invitation from the Jaffna Youth
Congress, had boarded a train in Colombo along with Rajagopalachari
to reach Jaffna. After reaching Jaffna, he had addressed students in
various educational institutions in Jaffna. It was a radical era in
Jaffna and Gandhi’s visit drew huge crowds.
After
his Jaffna visit, Gandhi took a train to Talaimannar and later,
taking a ferry serice had reached shores of India. As I have
mentioned above, Anuradhapura — Talaimannar rail route has also
been reconstructed by IRCON and is likely open by December. Indian
Government plans to re-start the Ferry service, when this rail
segment becomes operational. IRCON has brought from India about 400
people to Sri Lanka to work on restoring the Northern Rail line.
Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the new train service
by riding on “Yal Devi” express from Pallai to Jaffna on Oct. 13,
2014 after buying a ticket and boarding the train for the last 43
kilometers (27 miles) of the journey and opened several railroad
stations along the way. He is believed to have said;
“Today
what is left to us is to win over hearts and minds, healing of minds.
I think this train journey today will help connect hearts and minds
once again.”
Many
government ministers and military commanders also joined Rajapaksa on
the journey and thousands of people had gathered at every station to
greet the train and rushed to take their photographs with famous “Yal
Devi.”
It was
a great sight to see, a train decorated with banana plants and
colorful flower garlands, arriving in Sri Lanka’s northern Tamil
heartland being cheered by tens of thousands of people after 24
years.
16th
October 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment