Action against railway employees residing on railway lands

The Government had decided to take action on railway employees who reside on lands belonging to the Railways Department, Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.

He said the Railways Department possessed about 14,000 acres of reserve blocks of land and about 10 per cent of them were leased to various parties.

"About eighty per cent of the remaining land is occupied by various parties illegally. 

“These unauthorized occupants include the departmental officials as well as those who are retired from service. These lands are being used for unauthorized purposes such as the construction of houses and business premises and cultivation. 

“The Railways Department employees who have illegally acquired those lands will be removed through court action. There have also been instances of disciplinary action being taken against them and the suspension of pensions," he said.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Transport Minister to appoint a Committee of Ministers to make recommendations to the Cabinet studying the matter, Minister Rambukwella said.