It was by a quirk of circumstance that my friend and batch mate AGA and I found ourselves in the office of Mr. Vaithialingam at Railway Headquarters one day about the end of June 1960. This amiable, gentle person was the Chief Engineer, Way and Works, Sri Lanka Railways.
Year after year for several years he [...]
A transit shelter to house stranded passengers in the city of Colombo at night is a timely act of the Government. A Colombo University survey has revealed that over 100 passengers get stranded daily in Colombo at night.
Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma who laid the foundation stone for the first transit centre, named Colombagedera, quite rightly [...]
The furore over the recently imported 100 train compartments valued at a whopping Rs.2.5 billion chugged to another twist yesterday, with the revelation that they could not be used for up-country travel.
In what could be a shocking disclosure of public funds being mismanaged, the All Ceylon Railways General Employees’ Union (ACRGEU) charge that none of [...]
Sri Lanka Railway Department announced the increase of train fares by 80 per cent from midnight yesterday 31st May).
The General Manager of Sri Lanka Railway, Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said that the intercity railway service rates will be increased by 150 per cent very soon. Also the minimum rate has increased from Rs.5 to 10.
The Railway Department [...]
The All Ceylon Railway Employees Union (ACREU) charged that unnecessary purchases, wastage and corruption during procurements by the Railway Department and the failure to collect money owed for the leased property owned by the Department had resulted in the loss of income to the Railway Department.
ACREU General Secretary Sumathipala Manavadu said they had complained to [...]
A railway for Sri Lanka was first mooted in 1842. Since the British occupation of the island in 1815, the Europeans, looking for suitable investments were much attracted by the mild climate and rich soil found in the upland country.
Cutting the first sod of the Ceylon Railways on 3rd August, 1858 by Sir Henry Ward, [...]
