Sri Lanka Railways has announced that train services on the Northern line, including the Kankesanthurai intercity train, Night Mail train, and the Yarl Devi train, will resume this week.
According to the Railway Department, services from Jaffna to Kankesanthurai will restart, with the Jaffna Intercity train and Jaffna Night Mail train operating daily from April 9, while the popular Yal Devi train will resume daily operations from April 10.
The department has announced the resumption of services following the completion of repair works to sections of the Northern railway Line damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.
Cyclone Ditwah had caused severe damage to 14 locations along the Northern railway line, forcing authorities to suspend services. Temporary repairs allowed trains to operate at reduced speed between Colombo Fort and Jaffna from December 24, 2025. However, permanent restoration work required another suspension from January 19, 2026.
The repair project, funded with USD 5 million provided by the Government of India, included the reconstruction of the 14 damaged sites, installation of five new bridges along the Mahawa–Omanthai stretch, and completion of the “Kasikote” elephant tunnel.
With these works now complete, Sri Lanka Railways confirmed that full services on the Northern line will resume, restoring a vital transport link for the region. (Newswire)
