Nearly 140 trains, including office and intercity trains scheduled for today have been cancelled due to a strike launched by the railway workers in Colombo, the Sri Lanka Railways Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) said.

SLRSMU President Sumedha Somaratne said the trade union action was launched while pointing out the unavailability of fuel for them to report for duty.

Due to disruption of the train service since last morning, two intercity express trains running from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai at 11.50 am and to Batticaloa at 3.05 pm were cancelled.

The official further said the reason was due to the non-releasing of  trains that are parked at the railway yard. Due to the situation, the entry and exit of the train from the railway yards did not take place in the afternoon.

"If the government made the railways an essential service, the employees in the department should fall under the same category." If the government did not treat all the sectors in the railway department equally, the whole railway operations would grind to a halt by tomorrow or the day after, worsening the present predicament. As a result, the entire government sector will be paralysed, "Somarathne said.

All the railway employees  do not have quarters, and no special vehicles were assigned. They have to use their own transportation to report for duties other than trains, he said.

Meanwhile, the Locomotive Drivers' Association has announced that they will refrain from engaging in thier duties from midnight. Somaratne said  if they take that decision, as the Station Masters’ Union, we will also have to go for another trade union action in the event the government does not listen to us.

Operating of trains in the evening is uncertain and most of the trains were off the lines. Negotiations have begun to provide fuel to the employees working in the yards, enabling them to come to work.

Accordingly, the staff at the Colombo Fort and Maradana railway stations have been evacuated. As a result, hundreds of commuters who came to the Colombo Fort and Maradana stations had to face severe inconveniences. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)