Unprotected railway crossings:

Protection systems to cost govt Rs 1,000 m

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The government will install protection systems for 200 unprotected railway level crossings at a cost of Rs 1,000 million.

The Cabinet on a proposal by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama has decided to allocate Rs. 1,000 million to provide protection systems to 200 unprotected railway level crossings. The existing railway network in Sri Lanka has about 915 level crossings, among which 303 crossings have been installed with protection system while 612 crossings have no protection systems.

A large number of accidents occur at these unprotected level crossings resulting in death and injury.