Railway lands for Cultivations

COLOMBO (News 1st); The total extent of the reserved lands belonging to the Sri Lanka Railway Department is approximately 14,000 acres and around 10% of this has been leased for various purposes.

It has been identified that it is appropriate to temporaries lease out reserved lands located along the railway lines and railway stations which are suitable for cultivation and not immediately required for the development activities of the Department of Railway for cultivation.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Highways to provide these lands for agricultural practices and use on lease basis for a period of 1 year, prioritizing the cultivators already engaged in cultivation in the relevant areas, residents near railway tracks and low income earners.