Strike cost Railway Dept Rs 12 M

The Department of Railways suffered a loss of Rs 12 million due to the recent train strike, a senior official said yesterday. He said that income was lost on ticket sales, and seat reservations during this period.

The strike, launched on 11 October, resulted in the cancellation of nearly 370 scheduled trips. According to the official, it also inconvenienced passengers who had purchased tickets and made reservations. The strike, which was scheduled for midnight on 12 October, however, took place at 5 p.m. the previous day, Wednesday (11), severely disrupting services and inconveniencing thousands of passengers. The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) provided relief bus services on the Colombo-Polgahawela and Galle-Negombo routes for passengers.

Passengers holding train season tickets were provided with free bus transport during the strike.

They were also permitted to travel in Highway Luxury buses as well, the official added.