Nanu-Oya Intercity Suspended
It is with regret that we report Colombo – Nanu-Oya Intercity Express, on of the fastest trains in Sri Lanka has been suspended from last week due to lack of passenger interest. It was reported that there were only 7 passengers were on the train when the train had a locomotive failure at Ihala Kotte few weeks back. So the new GMR has decided to cancel this train as it is making heavy loses to the Railway Department.
Nanu-Oya Intercity was started on December 1, 2008 when the Department was under Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan. In her early days the train attracted heavy crowd and oftenly got overbooked. But after the holiday season only a few number of people were on the train daily.
Sri Lanka Railways Forum
Photos : SLRF trip to Nanu-Oya by the ICE on December 2, 2008.
Tags: ICE, intercity express, nanu oya, suspend
June 1st, 2009 at 11:48 am
nanu oya intercity has lack of passenger interest because the train gets late to come to colombo some times it comes at 11.00pm. may be its time reshudle times and send the train to come to colombo before 8.00pm
June 1st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Regret to hear that Nanu Oya Intercity has been suspended. As commented by Preneith rescheduling of the time should have been tried before suspending this, which I believe really good step taken by Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan. I also feel there was not enough time for people to get used to this new train. I feel this is one of first step toward bringing railway services back to non Guraruwan era where we had a terrible service as far as office trains were concerned. What ever good moves implemented by Dr Gunaruwan should be carried forward if we are to see some progress. Rohan
June 1st, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Thanks Prenieth and Rohan for your comments. Yes, it is true that down train regularly got delayed. Even we too experienced that in our trip. But the reason for suspending was lack of passengers for up train. They should have rejusted the times or made it a ‘Holiday only’ train. But unfortunately SLR always go for the easy solution rather than the ‘best’ solution. I think thats the reason why the department is in such a poor situation.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 am
why cant you nanu oya intercity at 5.55am instead of podi menike.suspened podi menike and run nanu oya intercity from 5.55am from colombo to nanu oya and 1.30pm from nanu oya to colombo.then you can use podi menike train and engine for another train or put nanu oya ice to banderwella then i am sure you will get a lot of crowd.specially in july,august.
June 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
can you stop runing podi menike on week days and put nanu oya intercity at5.55am on week days only.make podi menike a week end train when there is a lot of crowd.manu oya intercity is fast,safe and comfortable, it has 200 reserved seats which is enough for week days run ice and UDARATE MENIKE on week days one ice and one normal train on week days
June 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
can you run nanu oya intercity instead of podi menike on week days. make podi menike a week end train. nanu oya intercity can leave at 5.55am from colombo i hope you can have a lot of customers from nanu oya around 1.30pm
June 6th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
The major drawback of the Nanu Oya ICE (and many others ICEs) schedue is the inability to get on board on major stations in between its journey. Especially Ragama and Polgahawela. As this train leaves 8:35 am from colombo fort all the passengers need to arrive to fort station by road transport or other slow trains. If passengers to use road transport just to approach fort station then already a significant time is wasted due to the very high traffic congestion during rush hours towards colombo. If this train was stopping at least at Ragama it would have been a great convinience to passengers arriving from Puttalam, Gampaha direction and from Demetagoda. Because there are a lot of office trains to reach Ragama during this time. Also Ragama is very easily apporochable from the two main roads (Negombo and Kandy roads) in Sri Lanka. Similarly if Nanu Oya ICE stops at Polgahawela passengers upto Veyangoda, Rambukkana and Kurunegala can easily get on board. Similar to Ragama Polgahawela too located between two main roads. For example if a passenger at ragama to get on board ICE he/she must leave Ragama atleast 7:45 am and the ICE passes ragama around 9:00 am. Obviously Ragama passenger has already spent additionally 1:15 hours just to “get on board”. For other stations (Gampaha, Veyangoda) this is even higher. Running a train in minimum time is appreciated. But what the use of it if a majority of commuters cannot simply get in to it?
June 26th, 2009 at 11:39 am
please send nanu oya intercity on week days. may be stop another rain like podi menike or udrata menike on week days
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
why cant you ll nanu oya ice on weekdays as well you stop podi menike on week days and put manuoya intercity at podi menike time
August 25th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Doesn’t this train go to Nanu oya? We decided a trip to go to Nuwara Eliya by coming to Nanu Oya through This train. Can’t you schedule the time table to this train? If you change, the passengers will come to this train. Please excuse for this problem.