The formal hand over of th completed section of the Galle-Hikkaduwa railway track was made Thursday by S M Krishna, External Affairs Minister of India, who is on an official visit to the island.
The first phase of the project, comprising of the Galle-Matara section of the rail track, was completed in February 2011.
Krishna said Phase Two of the project, which involves the section from Galle to Kaluthara, a suburb of the capital Colombo, will be completed on schedule by April this year, a statement from the High Commission of India said.
India had pledged a line of credit of 167.
4 million US dollars as part of its effort to assist the government of Sri Lanka in the reconstruction of the southern coastal railway.
The support involves reconstruction of railway lines, training of personnel from Sri Lanka Railways in India, procurement of rolling stock and building of maintenance sheds, the statement said.
Krishna also said a rail way track modernisation project in the north, also wi