Railways on track to better future

BY RAJMI Manatunga

THE Railways Ministry has decided to launch a special urgent programme to rehabilitate and reconstruct the train service.

Accordingly, railway tracks in a deteriorated condition will be repaired immediately while adding more engines and carriages to bolster the service.

Railways Minister Felix Perera told the Daily News that the Cabinet has already approved the purchase of new rails, sleepers and carriages.

"We have received approval to purchase 800 rails on an urgent basis. Around 200 of the rails will be used to renovate the Colombo-Badulla railway tracks which are in a particularly poor condition," the Minister said.

It has also been decided to purchase 15 Diesel Multiple Units and 100 stainless steel rail carriages from China. The Minister said they will be able to remove a number of speed limits on railway lines once the track is reconstructed using new rails and sleepers.

"Owing to the poor condition of the rail track we have been compelled to impose a speed limit every two kilometres. Although we are aware of the inconvenience caused to commuters due to constant delays it was done with their safety in mind. However, once the track is fully renovated we will be able to run trains on time," he said.

He pointed out that around 1.8 million sleepers were required to renovate the entire network. Steps have been taken to locally manufacture concrete sleepers while the rest will be imported.

Frequent train delays caused by the poor condition of tracks and engines gave rise to several clashes between railway employees and commuters last week on the Kalani Valley and main railway lines.