|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Monday, 3 January 2005 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Rajmi Manatunga The Railways Department will extend train operations on the coastal railway line destroyed by last week's disaster, upto Kalutara today after a week of clearance and reconstruction. "We have completed renovation upto Kalutara South and trains will operate from today upto that point. It has been decided to deploy three to four trains in the morning and evening office hours," Railways General Manager Priyal de Silva told the Daily News. De Silva said train operations on the coastal line during the rest of the day will depend on the number of commuters. The tidal waves that caused havoc in the coastal areas of the country last Sunday left the coastal railway line from Colombo to Matara severely damaged while destroying an eight carriage train transporting over 1,000 people at Kahawa. The overall loss suffered by the country's railway network owing to the disaster has been estimated to be a staggering Rs. 6,550 million. The damage caused to the tracks alone is Rs. 1,600 million while the damage to bridges and the signal systems is Rs. 50 million and Rs. 500 million.A communication system worth Rs 1500 million has also been destroyed. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Felix Perera said he hoped to obtain foreign assistance to rebuild the damaged railway line, the mode of transport for over 3,000 people prior to the disaster. "In the meantime we hope to commence a train service between Galle and Matara using three trains held up in the South. We will have to start a bus service from Galle to Kalutara to link it with the rest of the train service," he said. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
