Running on a similar track to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) expansion project, the Sri Lanka Railways Department is making plans to construct an Internal Container Terminal (ICT) close to the commercial hub of Sri Lanka for the first time in the country’s history.
“We have already chosen Veyangoda, Ratmalana or Sapugaskanda to go ahead [...]
December 27 is a red letter day for the railway in Sri Lanka. On this day in 1964, Sri Lanka Railway celebrated its centenary. Now the railway is 144 years old. It was on this day in 1864 that the first train steamed out from Colombo to Ambepussa.
The railway has come a long way since. [...]
Econo Rail was a project to manufacture Diesel Multiple Units in Sri Lanka. It was approved by the government in November 2004. Even thou we applaud this government for the steps it has taken to import new carriages, locomotives and DMUs after many years, it is imperative that they support and implement indigenous projects like Econo [...]
The Train services are set to improve greatly from this April with the department adding another fifteen Diesel Multiple Units to their rolling stock. These new DMU’s will be used to improve the currently inadequate Office Train Services between Colombo - Aluthgama, Colombo - Gampaha and Colombo - Chilaw. This will be in addition to the arrival of the last [...]
Transport Ministry will import 15 more powersets from China to improve Sri Lanka Railways transport services. The three of these power sets would arrive in June and the rest before the end of the year, Transport Ministry said in a press release.
The 300 million dollar worth power sets will be purchased on a loan provided [...]
One hundred Chinese made stainless steel carriages
Sri Lanka Railways purchased 100 stainless steel carriages from China at a total cost of 3570 million rupees. The carriages have been shipped to Sri Lanka in four batches of 25 each. Of these four batches, three batches totalling 75 carriages have already arrived on the island. The last [...]
Sri Lanka Railway Department General Manager Lalithasiri Gunaruwan says that discussions are underway to purchase 20 power sets from India under a credit line.
India has also pledged a concessionary loan facility to improve the Southern railway line under tsunami reconstruction.
The Indian power sets are in addition to the 15 power sets ordered from China that [...]
Minister Dulles Alahapperuma is optimistic of making the train service the country’s leading passenger transport service as assured in the “Mahinda Chintana”.
Speaking at a ceremony organised to introduce the new railway carriages imported from China to service, the Minister said this was only a beginning. He recalled that the President in launching the “Mahinda Chintana” [...]
