Sri Lanka’s railway system was badly damaged by Cyclone Ditwah leaving only two lines operating, General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Padmapriya said, after landslides and torrential rains washed away chunks of tracks and damaged bridges.
“After this natural disaster we only had the Coastal line and Kelani Valley line left,” Padmapriya told a forum at Sri Lanka’s Government Information Department.
The worst damage was to the Kandy, Badulla and Matale tracks in the hill country.
In at least 15 places with the ground blasted from under the track by Cyclone Ditwah.
“The earth had been undermined under the line and the track is now in a situation of hanging in 15 places,” Padmapriya said.
Sri Lanka Railways had found 286 incidents of which 159 were damage from landslides.
There were 100 incidents involving trees falling across tracks and the earth under tracks being washed away.
“We are still finding new locations with damage,” Padmapriya said. “We have not been able to reach some locations yet.”
The Colombo-Badulla line, the Norther line from Polgahawella to KKS, Gal Oya to Trinco, Gal Oya to Baticaloa, Ragama to Puttalam, Medawachchiya to Talaimannar, the Peradeniya Matale line was out of commission.
The Coastal Line from Colombo to Beliatta and the Kelani Valley from Maradana to Avissawella were intact.
By December 05, on the mainline Colombo to Ambepussa was restored and on the Puttlam line up to Naththandiya trains were operated.
By December 05, 322 kilometres of the 1,436 kilometre railway system was operating.
Ten trains and four twin sets used for office transport were trapped in various stations which will have to be brought to Colombo.
By next week the Railway Dept hoped to open the Rambukkana – Kurunegala line.
The Gal-Oya Trinco Line has been restored and testing was underway.
Up from Rambukkana to Gal-Oya via Maha the line was still out of commission.
Restoration may take about 3 weeks. Then Baticaloa and Trinco lines will be open.
“The Indian company that upgraded the Northern Line with Indian aid had agreed to help us,” Padmapriya said.
“It may take around one and a half month. There are more than 100 kilometres there.”
The Colombo to Badulla track is now open till Rambukkana.
The pre-crisis time table will be re-started from Monday, Railway Additional Director General Bandara Chandrasena said Sunday. From Rambukkana and Kandy, railway season holders will be give bus transport.