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by Irangika Range

The Railway Department has to pay an additional Rs. 300,000 daily for diesel after the increase in the price of diesel," a Department spokesman said. The department generally spends around Rs. 3 million for diesel per day on 325 trains. "The department's income for the first six months of this year was Rs. 772 million while the expenditure was Rs. 2,878 million," he said.

"Although train fares were increased by 52 percent from January this year, the department is still facing losses. The department spends over Rs. 3,750 million annually and 73 percent is obtained from the Treasury. However after the price of diesel was increased, the amount given by the Treasury was not enough for the department's expenditure.

The Treasury had given over Rs. 2,223 million last year," he said. " The department has only 96 good engines and around 500 compartments. The department needs at least another 200 compartments and 50 engines to provide an efficient service. The department earns its revenue through train tickets, monthly season tickets, postal service transportation, goods transportation and rental charges," he said.

" As an essential service, the department should provide punctual and comfortable service to the people. Long distance trains take a long time and therefore the public use buses. This is a big loss and we have planned to implement more programs which would earn more revenue to the department. The department together with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation transports oil and the department earns around Rs. 800,000 per day from this," the spokesman said.

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