Railway services are expected to be fully restored by tomorrow morning after a decision by the Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union to call off a four-day long strike.
The Transport Ministry today assured Sri Lanka Railway Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union that they will expedite the recruitment of engine drivers and resolve the issue about promotions among other outstanding demands which prompted the strike.
Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena presided over the discussions with the Union.
Among the demands are that the second-class promotions of locomotive drivers be expedited.
However, Ms K.de Silva, Additional General Manager (Administration) of the Department of Railways claimed that they had issued 57 promotion letters to the railway locomotive engineers by last Thursday (June 06) while 13 more have been delayed due to various issues including disciplinary investigations and failure to complete exams.
Meanwhile passengers faced severe inconvenience during the past four days due to the strike while one of the passengers had fallen off the train due to overcrowding of the trains.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to vacate his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo this morning, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) source said.
Sri Lanka’s largest renewable energy project, the ‘Rvidanavi’ Solar Power Park project was launched in Siyambalanduwa today by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill was passed by a majority of 150 in parliament today. However the opposition MP’s were absent during the voting.
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