Sagarika derailment disrupts coastal rail line; services to resume in two days

Railway General Manager Ravindra Pathmapriya announced on Friday that efforts to re-rail the derailed ‘Sagarika’ train have started. He expects that services on the Coastal Line will be back in operation within two days. Speaking to reporters, he mentioned that the Minister has directed officials to take all necessary actions to reduce passenger inconvenience. He noted, “The loss of the damaged train is considerable for us, especially since our fleet is already small. We have faced this setback and aim to resolve the issue quickly. However, we will need to use a replacement train, and talks are ongoing.” The ‘Sagarika’ train, which travels from Beliatta to Maradana, derailed near the Wadduwa Railway Station on the morning of Friday, the 24th, resulting in significant damage to one of the tracks in that area. As a result, the Railway Department has limited services on the affected Coastal Line to the Panadura Railway Station. To assist passengers, arrangements are in place to provide bus transport from Panadura to South Kalutara via Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses, after which train services will continue to Matara and Beliatta. The Department is also working to clear the track obstruction and hopes to restore at least one track by the end of the day.