Sri Lanka : No intention to privatize Sri Lanka Railways

Feb 05, Colombo: Refuting talks of privatizing government institutions, Sri Lanka's Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva said the government has no intention to privatize the Railway Department or to make it an authority.

Addressing an event held to initiate work on the Kalutara-South to Payagala railway track on the coastal line, the Minister said the government's only vision is to provide a high quality service to the general public.

The Ministry of Transport has taken measures to extend the double track from Colombo to Kalutara up to Payagala to ease the inconvenience to the commuters due to the single track on the coastal line.

The work on the project at an estimated cost of Rs. 762 million commenced today under the patronage of Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Deputy minister Ashok Abeysinghe.

The Railway Department has also taken measures to import more train compartments and engines in order to increase the number of railway passengers. Currently only 8 percent of the total commuters use the trains.