Coastal Line Signals Are Safe, Says Railways GM

COLOMBO (News 1st); The General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways, Dhammika Jayasundara, has assured the public that the signaling system on the Coastal Line—from Colombo Fort to Kalutara—is functioning properly and has been certified as safe by railway signal officers following inspections conducted yesterday (5).

This statement comes in response to a strike that will be launched by train drivers at noon today (6), who have decided to withdraw from operations on the Coastal Line citing unresolved faults in the signaling system between Panadura and Moratuwa.

The strike was triggered by an incident yesterday in which a rail track near Moratuwa-Modara was damaged, forcing the Sagarika train to halt and temporarily closing the line. 

Despite the disruption, another train traveling from Panadura to Colombo Fort was mistakenly shown a green signal—indicating a clear track—due to the faulty system. A potential collision was narrowly avoided thanks to the vigilance of the train driver.

Chandana Wiyanduwa, General Secretary of the Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union, reiterated that the signal fault between Panadura and Moratuwa must be properly rectified to ensure safety.

In response, the General Manager stated that a special inspection of the signaling system will be conducted over the weekend to further verify its reliability.