The project purpose is to improve the suburban railway system in the Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) including the 64 km Veyangoda–Colombo Fort–Panadura route section. This project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) will –
- Assess the railway system in the CMR including the corridors linking to Kandy and Galle;
- Identify and prioritize interventions such as track rehabilitation and modernization of signaling and telecommunication systems, possible railway electrification and rolling stock required to increase railway operation and maintenance facilities.
Furthermore, the PPTA will prepare pre-feasibility studies including cost-benefit analysis to decide on the priority interventions in consultation with the government, and define the scope of further projects to be prepared under the proposed technical assistance loan (TA loan), which will support detailed design, bid documents, safeguards documents, procurement and safeguards implementation
