The ‘Uthuru Mithuru’ fund established by the President aimed at developing the Yal Devi rail line accumulated Rs. 11.4 million within ten minutes of initiation, Transportation Minister Dulles Allahaperuma said yesterday.
“The President himself has pledged his entire April salary on Monday to start the fund while every employee at the Presidential Secretariat contributed one day’s salary to the fund,” he continued. “We were delighted with the response within the first ten minutes.”
The Yal Devi train was first launched on April 23, 1956 and he added that it was the President’s challenge to take the line further at least by one kilometre this April 23. The train currently reaches Vavuniya on the existing line but the conflict in the North has left most parts of the track and infrastructure destroyed.
National Freedom Front Leader, Wimal Weerawansa said that in a show of support, 12 NFF MPs and many Provincial Council members will pledge their May salaries to the ‘Uthuru Mithuru’ fund. “We have also pledged our support to develop the railway stations and part of the track in the coming months.”
