The Railways Department has decided to operate trains according to the schedule implemented on last Thursday (13), Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Union (SLSMU) said.

Accordingly, several long-distance trains will facilitate the state and private sector employees who travel to and from their workplaces.

SLSMU said people in distant areas find it difficult to reach their workplaces due to travel restrictions and lack of transport.

The step was taken following the government's decision to impose travel restrictions between provinces and allowed only the essential services can be operated.

Accordingly, four trains will be running in the morning and in the evening.

The train services will be as follows;

Office train will operate from Kandy to Colombo (leaves at 5.00 a.m), from Maho to Fort (leaves at 4.45 a.m), from Chillaw to Fort (leaves at 5.50 a.m), and a special train between Bolawatta and Puttalam (leaves at 7.00 a.m) and an office train form Beliatta to Maradana leaves at (4.30 am) every day.

Meanwhile, the above trains will leave for their return destinations in the evening as follows;

The office train that had arrived at Fort in the morning leaves for Kandy at 5.45 p.m, the train that had arrived from Maho will leave at 6.00 p.m, the Chillaw train will leave at 5.18 p.m, the special train from Bolawatta will leave for Bolawatta from Puttalam at 4.00 p.m and the train that came from Beliatta leaves Maradana at 4.40 pm.

The Railway Department requested the commuters to keep their Office ID and the request letter from the Head of the Department with them to ensure their identity and purpose of travelling. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)