Railway General Manager Ravindra Pathmapriya said on Friday that re-railing operations of the derailed ‘Sagarika’ train have already commenced and that services on the Coastal Line are expected to be restored within two days.
Addressing the media, he said the Minister had instructed officials to take all necessary measures to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
Commenting on the incident, he said: “The damaged train is a significant loss for us, especially as our fleet is already limited. We have incurred this loss and hope to rectify the situation promptly. However, we will need to deploy an alternative train in its place, and discussions are currently underway.”
The ‘Sagarika’ train, operating from Beliatta to Maradana, derailed near the Wadduwa Railway Station on Friday morning (24), causing severe damage to one track of the dual-line section.
The Railway Department has since restricted services on the affected Coastal Line up to Panadura Railway Station.
Arrangements have been made to transport passengers from Panadura to South Kalutara by Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses, from where train services will resume towards Matara and Beliatta.
Meanwhile, the Department said efforts are underway to clear the obstruction and restore at least one track by the end of the day.