Massive landslides hamper upcountry railway line restoration

Engineers from the Railway Maintenance Division have warned that restoring the railway line from Kotagala to Ambewela is extremely challenging due to massive landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwa.

Railway staff stationed at Nanuoya and Hatton are working to reconstruct the affected sections of the Upcountry Railway Line. They report that stretches of 50 to 100 meters have been destroyed in areas with steep hills and valleys near Kotagala, Grade Western, Nanuoya, Parakumpura, and Ambewela Railway Stations.

The engineers said the difficult terrain and extensive damage are making reconstruction efforts slow and complex, with work ongoing to restore normal train operations. Pix by Ranjith Rajapaksa