Railway Station Masters allege Upcountry train services resumed without NBRI clearance

The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Association (SLRSMA) has alleged that train services on the Upcountry Railway Line were resumed after repair work without obtaining clearance from the National Building Research Institute (NBRI).

Rail services on the section from Colombo Fort to Peradeniya and Gampola, which had been suspended for nearly 10 months due to extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, resumed on October 2.

However, just two days after services resumed, the first office train operating from Peradeniya to Colombo Fort today (05) derailed at around 4.35 a.m.

The derailment occurred between Ihala Kotte, Kadigamuwa and Gangoda stations after the train crashed into a mound of fallen earth and rocks.

As the fallen earth and rocks were not clearly visible to the driver, the locomotive and one carriage derailed.

Following the incident, all passengers on board travelled via an alternative route to the Kadigamuwa bus road and proceeded to Rambukkana by bus.

The Railway Department also arranged an additional train from Rambukkana to Colombo for the affected passengers.