The Government of India has released the first instalment of funding—amounting to approximately USD 2.5 million (around LKR 770 million)—for the installation of an advanced signalling and telecommunication system along Sri Lanka’s Maho–Anuradhapura railway line.
The project was jointly launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of Sri Lanka during the latter’s high-level visit to India in April 2025. Originally planned as a Line of Credit (LoC) project costing USD 14.89 million, it was later converted into a full grant by the Indian government during the Sri Lankan President’s State Visit to India in December 2024.
The project is being implemented by Ircon International Limited, an Indian Public Sector Undertaking.
The new signalling system is part of broader Indian-supported upgrades to Sri Lanka’s Northern Railway Line, where tracks have already been modernised to allow trains to operate at speeds up to 100 kmph. The signalling upgrade is expected to further enhance safety, increase train frequency, and improve operational efficiency.
Key features of the system include real-time train tracking within block sections, centralised monitoring from a modern control centre, and the capacity to handle simultaneous train dispatch and reception at stations, helping reduce delays and streamline services.
Preliminary work on the project has already commenced, with completion expected by August 2026.