• 3,000 internal promotions 

The Department of Railways is set to boost its efficiency by September-October of this year with the recruitment of over 900 new staff members and around 3,000 internal promotions, according to Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said that the department has been facing difficulties in getting the required staff for many years. “The last time that approval was granted for required recruitments was in 2018, and no new approval had been received until March. Under the latest approval, more than 900 new employees will be recruited. In addition, around 3,000 internal promotions are planned. All of this work is being carried out by the department's administrative division. We will finalise the process by September-October of this year,” he said.

The move comes amid criticism of inefficiency within the department. Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, speaking at the Kandy District Coordinating Committee meeting recently, warned that if improvements are not seen soon, administrative control of the department may be restructured. “There are individuals who engage in sabotage, but the entire department ends up being blamed. The inefficiency in administration is affecting daily train commuters,” he said.

The Railways Department is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most relied-upon public institutions, playing an important role in both passenger and freight transport. Despite its long history, the department has struggled in recent years with staff shortages, ageing infrastructure, and delays in modernisation.