Inaugurated in 1880, the Matale line (sometimes referred to as the Kandy line) is a branch railway line in Sri Lanka. Operated by Sri Lanka Railways, the line includes some of the busiest rail services in the country.[1]
The 28.2 km (17.5 mi) route was surveyed between 1875 and 1877. In May 1878 the contract to construct the rail line was issued to David Reid for Rs. 1,782,408.[2] The total estimated cost of the Matale extension amounted to Rs. 3,300,000, being a rate of Rs. 189,247 per mile. The line was opened for traffic on 4 October 1880 by the Governor, Sir James Longden, eight months earlier than the contract date, for which Reid was given a Rs. 35,000 bonus.[3]
^"Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers". 63. Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain). 1881: 71. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Perera, G. F. (1925). The Ceylon Railway: The Story of Its Inception and Progress. Ceylon Observer. p. 272.
Rail transport in Sri Lanka