Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) General Manager Ravindra Pathmapriya has strongly refuted allegations of declining online ticket sales following recent reforms to the ticketing system.
In a statement, Pathmapriya characterised these claims as false narratives being perpetuated by parties affected by the crackdown on black market activities.
“Following the implementation of the new changes which eliminate the mafia controlling the black markets, there have been claims that Sri Lanka Railways is not selling sufficient tickets. I’d like to refute that categorically,” he stated.
The General Manager emphasised that the system had experienced abundant demand for online tickets since the mid-August reforms.
“These stories and rumours of low sales and other things are probably being perpetuated by those who have been affected by these new changes,” he added.
The reforms include a mandatory National Identity Card or passport requirement for reserved seats, implemented specifically to combat widespread abuse of the ticketing system.
Explaining the rationale behind these measures, he said: “In the past, many issues had been raised, and it was stated that persons were defrauding the system, making mass bookings and selling the tickets on the black market.”
He revealed that some entities had been causing significant losses to Sri Lanka Railways while profiteering through illegal ticket sales, though he declined to comment on ongoing investigations into these activities.
The new verification process, which requires passengers to present original identification matching their booking during boarding, has effectively prevented bulk purchases meant for resale.
These security enhancements build upon the existing Pravesha Smart Ticketing System, which was introduced to modernise railway reservations. The system allows passengers to purchase tickets up to seven days in advance through a mobile-optimised platform, receiving digital tickets with QR codes via SMS or email.
Pathmapriya acknowledged that while the e-booking system predated his tenure, rectifications had now been introduced to prevent abuse of this system, representing a significant upgrade to the original platform.
Complementing these changes, Sri Lanka Railways has implemented a separate e-Warrant system for Government employees, military personnel, and pensioners. This specialised platform enables online temporary reservations using warrant details, which must be finalised at designated stations, and accommodates group bookings for up to five travellers.