COLOMBO - The Sri Lankan government declared on Monday to open a railway line constructed between Matara and Beliatta in the southern part of the island country which will hopefully boost passenger traffic into the deep south.

In the Matara railway station, a special train set off on its maiden journey on the newly-built railway around 9:00 am local time, and arrived at the final Beliatta station an hour later.

The 26.75-km long Matara-Beliatta railway extension was declared open for the public by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga in the presence of Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and other parliamentarians.