News
Railway trade union alliance complains of substandard carriages imported from India
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Successive governments had wasted hundreds of millions of rupees by importing substandard railway carriages from India, the railway unions alleged yesterday.
The Railway Trade Union Alliance co-convener, S.P. Vithanage said that 160 carriages were ordered through an Indian credit line by the yahapalana administration. These were imported between 2017 and 2018, he said.
“Now all the carriages are here, and these are very low quality products. The materials used to manufacture the carriages are substandard. Already there are many issues with the carriages. Most of them have rusted and are coming off at the seams,” he said.
Vithanage said that those carriages could not be used on all railway tracks, especially on upcountry lines.
“We have more than enough carriages. We have got seven types of Indian carriages. 82 of the carriages are for passengers travelling on third class and second class tickets. One carriage cost over USD 580,000. The air-conditioned carriages (35) were purchased at USD 800,000 each. Most of these could have been built here and at better quality,” he said.
Vithanage said that the government should establish a factory to produce railway carriages here. Sri Lanka had the technology to produce railway carriages that were suited for the country, he said.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished bys the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to extend Visas of those unable to leave Sri Lanka due to the
cancellation of flights to the Middle East from 28.02.2026 for another 14 days without any payments and re-extend the extended Visas for another 14 days without payments if the flights cancellations continue.
Taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint Sunil Galagama, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, as the District Secretary to Badulla Administrative District with immediate effect.
The Cabinet of Ministers, taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, have decided to appoint Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi, a special grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is serving as the Additional Commissioner General of Agrarian Development of the Department of the Agrarian Development at present, as the District Secretary , Ampara Administrative district with immediate effect.
Cabinet approves 14 day Visa extension
Sunil Galagama appointed as District Secretary Badulla
Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi appointed District Secretary Ampara
Committee on Economic Surveillance to be established
Cabinet nod to include the National Savings Bank for the Interest-Free Loan Scheme for Students
Nepal election 2026: Counting continues with rapper Balendra Shah’s party close to super-majority
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