The Yal Devi train from Colombo Fort to Jaffna and Kankesanthurai (KKS) has been fully booked for the next two weeks in an unprecedented surge of demand, said Sri Lanka Railways General Manager (GMR), W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe.
The rush to secure seats comes as the much-anticipated 128-kilometre upgrade of the Mahawa-Omanthai Northern railway track reaches its halfway mark, complementing the already completed Mahawa-Anuradhapura railway track, he said.
The Mahawa-Omanthai Railway Rehabilitation project has received a credit line of US$ 91.27 million from the Indian Government. The credit line was approved following productive bilateral discussions between Transport, Highways, and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, and the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Gopal Baglay.
The primary objective of this project is to improve the efficiency and reliability of railway travel along the Northern railway line, said GMR Gunasinghe. The ongoing Indian-funded railway modernisation projects have already yielded significant benefits, as the travel time between Colombo and KKS has been reduced by one-and-a-half hours, said Gunasinghe.