The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a policy decision to allow the recruitment of women to several key positions within the Sri Lanka Railways Department, for the first time in the department’s 165-year history.

Until now, only men have been eligible for roles such as Railway Engine Driver, Train Controller, and Station Master. Women were first recruited to the post of Railway Supervisory Manager in 2012 and again in 2015.

The new decision, made in line with the government’s current economic policies, aims to expand opportunities for women in public sector roles traditionally held by men, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.

The Cabinet’s approval had been granted under sub-article (1) of Article 55 of the Constitution, due to the absence of provisions for female recruitment in the department’s current regulations.

With this move, women will now be eligible for recruitment to the positions of Railway Engine Driver, Railway Superintendent, Station Master, and Railway Supervisory Manager. (Newswire)

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The Railway Engine Drivers Union says train drivers will launch an island-wide 48-hour token strike from midnight tomorrow (29).

Union President K.A.U. Kondasinghe said the token strike will be launched over various issues, including faulty signal systems.

He further said that all trains across the island will be suspended due to this token strike. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Railways has launched an inquiry at a departmental level into the misconduct of the driver of the train operated from Colombo to Kandy on June 30.

According to the Railway Department, the train driver has been suspended from service following the incident.

It is reported that the engine driver had been heavily intoxicated and behaved in an unruly manner soon after the train from Colombo to Kandy commenced its journey at 10.45 am on Sunday.

The engine driver is said to have stopped the train in the Sudhumpola area near Kandy and attempted to leave when passengers chased him and brought him back to the train.

The Assistant engine driver later operated the train until the Kandy Station. The intoxicated engine driver was handed over to the Railway Security Division by the Railway Transport Inspector.

The train which was scheduled to arrive at the Kandy Station at 1.40 pm had reached only at 2.30 pm due to the actions of the intoxicated engine driver. (Newswire)

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