Railways Dept. lack adequate running sheds, work-shop facilities

By Dayaseli Liyanage   

 Attending to the repairs of engine and passenger compartments has become a major problem for the railways department due to comparatively inadequate running sheds and workshop facilities with the expanding service, railways authorities said.   

A senior official of the Sri Lanka Railways Department said at present there are 20 train engines and about 100 compartments to be repaired but adequate facilities are not available at the workshops and running sheds.   

The department has recently received five power sets from India and they have been added to the train service already. Among the trains provided with new power sets are Galu Kumari and Colombo- Jaffna train while one has been assigned to be deployed in emergency situations. 

 
The railway official further said that it has been decided to extend the train service from Colombo to Vavuniya up to Kankesanthurai for which running tests are now in progress.   
Now more trains in operation have been coupled with new compartments, he said.     

The department has recently received five power sets from India and they have been added to the train service already