A special high-level discussion was held at the Northern Provincial Governor’s Secretariat on Saturday morning (20 June 2026) to discuss the resumption of Jaffna–Colombo train services, the restructuring of train timetables, and solutions to infrastructure-related issues affecting railway operations.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources and Marine Resources, Hon. R. Chandrasekhar, and the Governor of the Northern Province, Hon. N. Vethanayahan, and was attended by senior government officials, including the General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways, Ravindra Padhmapriya.
*Expansion of Train Services and Restructuring of Train Timetables*
The Governor emphasized the need to increase train services between Colombo and Jaffna in view of the growing number of tourists visiting the Northern Province and the fact that rail transport is both safe and time-efficient. He also requested that the existing train timetables be revised to better meet the convenience and travel needs of passengers.
Responding to these concerns, the General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways stated that the primary obstacle to the full resumption of train services is the shortage of locomotives. However, he noted that steps have already been initiated to procure new locomotives and assured that an immediate study would be conducted to facilitate a temporary increase in train services and the introduction of additional daytime services. The meeting also focused on making the necessary adjustments to the Yarl Rani train service, including proposals to extend certain services up to Vavuniya to better meet passenger demand.
*Extension of Freight Train Services to Kankesanthurai*
Accepting the Governor’s request to extend the freight train service, which currently operates only up to Anuradhapura, to Kankesanthurai in the Northern Province, the General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways assured that immediate action would be taken to implement the proposal.
*Integrated Multimodal Transport Hubs*
The Chairman of the Sri Lanka State Development and Construction Corporation stated that, under the guidance of the Minister of Transport, Hon. Bimal Ratnayake, a project is being implemented to establish integrated multimodal transport hubs across the island. He explained that feasibility studies are currently being carried out to establish major transport hubs in Jaffna and Kilinochchi as an initial phase, bringing bus and rail services together at a single location to provide greater convenience and connectivity for passengers.
*Addressing Unsafe Railway Crossings and Land Acquisition*
The Governor noted that several lands belonging to the Railway Department have remained unused for many years and are now covered with dense vegetation, while some areas have been subject to encroachment by local residents. He requested that the possibility of clearing such unused lands and exploring options for allocating them to the public be considered.
The Hon. Governor and Hon. Minister R. Chandrasekhar highlighted the widespread public dissatisfaction over the closure of Annachaththra Road in Jaffna city by the Railway Department.
Responding to this, railway officials stated that the master plan for the railway network will be completed within the next year, after which final decisions will be taken regarding land release and road access.
They further noted that, since the Northern railway lines are designed for high-speed operations, the most effective way to prevent accidents is to minimize intersecting roads and construct parallel access roads linking them to the main road network.
*Key Demands Raised at the District Level *
The General Manager assured that positive steps would be taken to resume train services, which were damaged and suspended due to the “Ditwah” disaster, ahead of the Madhu festival.
He further noted that, as the closure of certain railway crossings has forced the public to travel several kilometers as diversions, the Railway Department has agreed to conduct a field survey, reopen selected crossings, and construct alternative access routes where necessary.
It was recommended that arrangements be made for all trains to stop at Mankulam, the only railway station in the district, and that the current land and transportation issues could be addressed through the establishment of a multimodal transport hub at the same location.
Vavuniya and Jaffna: The meeting also held detailed discussions on unsafe railway crossings and roads that require reconstruction by local authorities.
The discussion was attended by the Director of the Sri Lanka Railways Department, the District Secretaries of Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi, the Assistant District Secretary of Jaffna, the Director of the Clean Sri Lanka Task Force, the Assistant Director of Planning from Vavuniya District, the Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government of Jaffna District, the Director of the Provincial Department of Industries, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Jaffna, senior officials of the Urban Development Authority and the Sri Lanka Transport Board, as well as members of the Governor’s Advisory Committee.
