Boon for railways from container traffic to North
Irangika Range
Sri Lanka Railways has earned a Rs. 28 million income transporting
300 containers carrying essential goods by rail to the North after a
lapse of 20 years.
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On
right track
* Container transport via
railway more efficiently
* More trains to be deployed
on Northern track |
A Sri Lanka Railways spokesman told the Daily News that two special
trains carrying 300 containers consisting essential goods and equipment
required for the Sri Lanka Army left the Colombo Fort Railway station to
Thandikulam station in Vavuniya.
He said the Railway Department charges Rs.2,500 per kilometre to
transport one container by rail to the north.
“This move has already been very successful. We have received a
number of orders from several private companies for container
transportation,” he said. The Sri Lanka Railways took measures to resume
the container transport service by rail which was disrupted for the past
20 years due to LTTE terrorism.
Container transported via railway is more efficient and profitable
than being transported by road. This is also a good income generating
avenue to the Railway Department in addition to the revenue from train
ticket sales.
The spokesman said more trains will be deployed on the Northern track
shortly to transport food and other goods for development activities of
the North.
He said traffic congestion in the Colombo-North areas have increased
by 34 percent as a result of road container traffic.
This new move will ease traffic congestion and also save fuel which
would in turn boost the national economy.
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