Sri Lanka Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara said measures have been taken to procure 160 railway compartments from India to reduce commuter congestion.
He was addressing a media briefing organised by the Government Information Department on Friday to make people aware of the measures taken to develop the railway service.
He said 50 compartments of the order placed, have reached the country. The rest of the order is expected soon. Plans are afoot to import an air-conditioned 550-seater train to be deployed on long-distance services, he said. The General Manager said that the development of the railway service is a solution to the current vehicular traffic congestion, adding that several special projects have been identified in this regard.
The projects include the extension of the main line up to Battaramulla and introducing an electric train service.
He said an electric train will be introduced to facilitate the majority of commuters – 70 percent of the passengers who travel between Panadura-Veyangoda and Polgahawela-Kalutara. The proposed electric train service will attract over 600,000 passengers.
Work has been started to construct two-way lines from Polgahawela to Maho via Kurunegala and from Payagala South to Aluthgama and Colombo to Homagama on the Kelani Valley line.
Jayasundara said Sri Lanka Railways is conspicuous in the field of tourism. The first railway journey took place from Colombo Fort to Ambepussa in 1864. The Department has planned to mark the event by running a coal-powered train between the two destinations and to attract local and foreign tourists to the service.
“Although passenger services are not operating due to the Coronavirus pandemic, eight cargo and fuel tankers are running daily. The Department is ready to run normal services under the health guidelines of the Government after travel restrictions are lifted,” the Railway General Manager said.