Wadduwa derailment: Partial line clearance underway, services still disrupted

Colombo, April 24 (Daily Mirror) - The efforts are underway to clear the obstruction caused by the derailment of the “Sagarika” train near Wadduwa Railway Station today (24), with plans to restore at least one track before evening office hours to resume commuter services, the Railway Department says 

In a statement, the department noted that if clearance is not completed in time, alternative transport arrangements have been made in coordination with the Ministry of Transport, the Sri Lanka Transport Board, and the National Transport Commission, including bus services along the coastal route.

The derailment occurred around 7.10 a.m. when train No. 8097 “Sagarika,” operating from Beliatta to Maradana, went off the tracks near Wadduwa, blocking both up and down lines of the coastal railway line.

Passengers on the “Sagarika” as well as the “Ruhunu Kumari” and “Galle Kumari” services bound for Colombo were transferred to a connecting train arranged near Wadduwa.

Meanwhile, passengers of the “Rajarata Rajini” service were transported by bus from Kalutara South to Panadura, from where they continued their journey by train to Anuradhapura.

Evening train and bus services have been arranged as follows: