Minister of Transport Dr. Bandula Gunawardana stated that loans are now required even for the maintenance of the railways.

Joining an event held in Kegalle, Gunawardana mentioned that the Sri Lanka Railways Department is making losses continuously.

He disclosed that Sri Lanka has recently borrowed 500 buses from India under the Indian credit line, aimed at facilitating transportation to schools and hospitals in remote areas. He also emphasised that without resorting to loans, the state owned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) would struggle to acquire buses.

“Recently, the Government has borrowed 500 buses from India under the Indian credit line and deployed them in areas where children have no buses to go to school or hospitals. Without borrowing, the SLTB cannot acquire buses,” he said.

“There are trains that are 60-70 years old. They (Sri Lanka Railways) have no money to buy engines, as it is making losses. When there are losses, there is no money even to lay tracks. People complain about train derailments.”

Thus, he expressed that Sri Lanka has obtained 10,000 tracks with a loan obtained from the Asian Development Bank, and that the railway tracks are now being repaired and upgraded at certain locations where train derailments are often reported. “The Prime Minister (Dinesh Gunawardena) and I are making every effort to convert the Kelani Valley railway line from Avissawella to Colombo into an electric railway system,” he added.