Decision to increase fuel transportation by railway to 60%: Minister

28 September 2021 06:24 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 4 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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The Transport Ministry and the Energy Ministry have decided to increase the transportation of fuel from 30% to 60% by train.

The decision was taken following a discussion with Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila at the Energy Ministry today.

Currently, fuel transportation is handled by bowsers.

Fuel transportation by train will help reduce road traffic, environmental pollution and accidents.

As a result, the Ministers have decided to build a variety of infrastructure, including repairing existing damaged fuel tank wagons and purchasing new tank wagons for fuel transportation.

The discussions revealed that one locomotive can carry 14 tank wagons with 50,000 liters of fuel. 7,000,000 liters of fuel can be transported in a single trip. That will help reduce 20 bowsers using the road.

It is obvious that the Petroleum Corporation's costs will be reduced, while the railway department's revenue can increase.

Minister Wanniarachchi said attention was drawn to develop the railway passenger and goods transportation service. Currently, only one percent of goods are being transported by train and therefore, the ministry is hoping to increase this to five percent. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

Comments - 4

P A S P Perera Tuesday, 28 September 2021 06:39 PM

Good move. Go ahead. Take advice from very efficient private sector experts or resign if you can not handle these public properties efficiently. I remember the " Dammika Paniya".

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Samson Tuesday, 28 September 2021 06:59 PM

In the olden days rail transport was used to get the fuel to outstation depots. Matara, Galle, Peradeniya, Apura Jaffna etc. Why it has been reduced?

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Sunil Tuesday, 28 September 2021 07:57 PM

Hope UK currently in a fuel shortage crisis due to shortage of bowser drivers take advice from Minister Pavithra for her out of box thinking

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Dee Tuesday, 28 September 2021 08:30 PM

Very good and effective move. But please do it effectively. Don't appoint another battalion for the implementation project and make it more costly than the existing method!

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