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Maho to Anuradhapura trains to resume, but with handicapped signalling
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Back on the track after 9 months: A test run from Maho to Anuradhapura was held yesterday
By Kasun Warakapitiya
The Sri Lanka Railways has decided to resume train services on the Maho to Anuradhapura line, which was closed for nine months. But a primitive signalling system will be used until a new system is set up.
Chandana Wiyanduwa
The decision was taken during a meeting held at the Transport Ministry on Tuesday,
At the meeting, the Railway Locomotive Operating Engineers Union had said that although the track renovation was completed, the signalling was not yet installed.
The General Manager of Sri Lanka Railway, S S Mudalige told the Sunday Times train operations are set to begin on Monday.
He said that the delay occurred as locomotive operating engineers refused to operate trains without a signalling system at the seven main railway crossings at least.
“Of the seven, we were able to complete three by Thursday as railway workers had to brave the adverse weather. We plan to have the signalling system at the crossings operational on Monday.’’
According to him, the signalling at the seven crossings would allow train drivers to know whether the crossings are closed one kilometre ahead.
Mr. Mudalige said the plan is to run two trains — Yal Devi on northern line to KKS and Rajarata Rejina on Maho line to Anuradhapura — only at day time using a token signalling system.
The Sunday Timeshas learned that the signalling system was delayed because the project by Ircon International was carried out as one that is separate from the tracklaying.
Chinthaka Jayasekara
The signalling system was further delayed due to the economic collapse and the credit line being halted due to the debt restructuring. The Indian and Sri Lankan governments are discussing.
A spokesperson for Ircon said that initially the track and the signalling system were the same project, but around nearly three years back, the then-general manager of railways separated the track renovation and the signalling.
“The track is completed. There are few equipment shortages and some minor matters. The issue lies with the signalling system. There are no funds,” he said.
The spokesman said the track was completed with their own funds as the company policy was to avoid public issues and to prevent inconvenience to commuters.
The contractor built the track with own funds and has not been paid since December 2022.
The agreement for the signalling contract was signed in September 2023, but formal inclusion of the project into the line of credit is still pending due to debt restructuring.
As the issue over the signalling system persisted, the railways decided to run trains using a token and a primary signalling system.
S S Mudalige Pix by Akila Jayawardena
Chinthaka Jayasekara, the Chief Engineer of the Railways Signaling and Telecommunication Department and project director of the Maho to Omanthai line, said the railways separated the project into three sections to reduce costs.
The building was erected by the railway, while the track reconstruction and signalling were separate projects. The railway track project cost US$91.27 million, while the signalling project cost US$14.89m.
Mr Jayasekara said talks were held with the operations department and plans to run trains Monday.
“We are starting at a lower speed (60 kilometres per hour) as the track has been closed for months. Engine drivers, highway users as well as people living along the railway line need to get used to train operations.’’
Chandana Wiyanduwa, chairman of the Locomotive Operating Engineers Union, expressed safety concerns as the token system relies on human intervention, and errors could occur.
He said locomotive operators had refused to run trains between Maho and Anuradhapura without signalling at the seven main level crossings. But, later they agreed to run under the least safety conditions.
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