With the current fuel price increase, people who used private transportation systems have a tendency to use train services as it was a low cost transport mode, the Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Union (SLRSMU) said.

They said the revenue reported this month at major railway stations have remarkably increased and a letter mentioning the current situation was sent to the Transport Minister.

In the letter, the union requested the Minister to draw his attention to the expanding of the railway service considering the higher number of people using train services these days.

After increasing the bus fares, a trend has been created for people to use the train services. Therefore, the SLRSMU requested the minister to increase the number of train services in urban areas such as Polgahawela-Colombo Fort, Negombo-Colombo Fort, Aluthgama-Colombo-Maradana, and Avissawella-Colombo Fort to increase passenger revenue compared to the past.

Therefore, the SLRSMU requested the minister to increase the number of train services in urban areas by converting single power sets to dual power sets with higher passenger capacity, increasing the number of compartments, cancelling unwanted train services and introducing temporary time tables while taking commuter ideas. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)