Transport Sector

The government invested Rs 14,409 mn on the development of the transport sector in 2005 and this has increased to Rs 27,323 mn in 2008. This indicates an increase of ninety percent. The total investment on the transport sector was Rs 126,104 mn, during the period concerned. It has been planned to complete the construction of the Matara- Kataragama new rail road in 3 phases. The 1st phase is from Matara to Beliatta, a total length of 27 km, the 2nd phase is from Beliatta to Weerawila,a total length of 62 km, and 3rd phase is from Weerawila to Kataragama, a total length of 26 km. Construction activities on the 1st phase have already been commenced. Under the first phase the construction of a bridge over the Nilwala River was completed. The total cost of the first phase is US$ 200 million. The double tracking of rail lines from Ja-ela to Seeduwa on the Puttalam line and Kalutara North to Payagala North on the coast line is being completed at a cost of Rs 32 million. After 30 years Yal Devi traveled to a newly constructed Thandikulam station. Earlier it traveled from Colombo Fort to Vavuniya only. This line will be extended from Thandikulam to Kankasanthurai at a cost of Rs 535 mn. The construction activities of the Medawachchiya-Talaimannar rail line has already been commenced at a cost of Rs 8400 mn. Reconstruction of the coastal line from Kalutara to Matara is in progress at a cost of Rs 168 mn. Construction of four railway stations at Aselapura, Wandaradhimulla, Riditenna and Ganthalawa has already been completed at a cost of Rs 2.85 million.

100 compartments imported from China were added to long distance trains such as Muthukumari, Sagarika, Bangadeniya, Ruhunu Kumari and Yal Devi. 09 more passenger carriages which were rehabilitated at Ratmalana workshop during this four year period have also been added to the service. 15 Diesel Multiple Units were added to strengthen the suburban train service, at a cost of Rs 3838 million, in 2008. The work to improve the Polgahawela-Anuradhapura rail track and to increase the speed to 100 km per hour by removing speed restrictions commenced. After rehabilitation of the line, the travel time from Colombo to Anuradhapura is expected to be reduced to 3 hours.

Under the “Mahinda Chinthana” policy, the government implemented five specialservices, named Gamiseriya, Nisissariya, Sisusariya, Office Service and Integrated Railway Service. For the establishment of an efficient state bus service, 2200 buses were added during the period of 2005-2009 to the pubic transport by the Sri Lanka Transport Board at a cost of Rs 6000 million. Information Technology was introduced to the SLTB through the establishment of a new division to increase the efficiency of the state run bus service at a cost of Rs 5 mn and improved infrastructure facilities of the 33 Model Depots of SLTB covering all the districts. Technical Standards were introduced for the inter-provincial private bus services through the National Transport Commission to increase the quality of the private bus service.