Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, announced that steps are being taken to increase the number of locomotives in daily operations to reduce train delays ahead of the introduction of electric trains in Sri Lanka
He emphasized the importance of improving train punctuality, stating that the government is actively addressing service cancellations. Currently, Sri Lanka operates around 217 to 220 daily train services, with 17 to 20 cancellations on average. The goal is to minimize cancellations and maintain consistent operations.
Dr. Gunasena noted that while the country typically requires 60 to 70 locomotives for smooth daily operations, only 45 to 50 have been available in recent times. However, efforts are underway to increase this number, with the expectation that over 60 locomotives will be in service by the end of February.
Additionally, he highlighted that currently, 52% of trains operate on schedule, while 17% experience delays exceeding 10 minutes, and 10% are delayed by more than 30 minutes. The government aims to improve these figures by enhancing locomotive availability and efficiency.
(dailynews.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)