Sri Lanka is set to propose the construction of two new railway lines and revive a long-abandoned tourist route as part of a broader push to modernise the country’s rail infrastructure and strengthen public transport.
Speaking at the ceremonial launch of the “Dream Destination” project — aimed at modernising 100 railway stations — Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake announced plans to introduce two new railway lines: one connecting Kottawa to Avissawella and another extending from Avissawella to Ratnapura.
The Minister said the initiatives come amid growing concern over traffic congestion, which he noted causes an annual economic loss of 2% to 3% of Sri Lanka’s GDP. He added that the decline in public transport usage since around 2012 has made large-scale road development projects insufficient to solve the country’s mobility challenges.
To further improve the sector, the Ministry also plans to enhance rail infrastructure to accommodate cargo transport. Minister Rathnayake highlighted that the revival of the Nuwara Eliya–Nanu Oya line — once used for tourism — is being considered in partnership with the private sector. The ownership of the corridor remains with the Department of Railways.
Additional railway development proposals are expected to be presented in the upcoming national budget. (Newswire)