Train services between Badulla and Nanu Oya will resume on Saturday (20) following the completion of restoration work on a landslide-affected section of the upcountry railway line, the Department of Railways has announced.
The railway track between Nanu Oya and Ambewela was severely damaged by a landslide triggered by Cyclone Ditwah that affected the country last year.
According to the Department, reconstruction work on the affected section has now been completed. A successful trial run was conducted yesterday through the restored area, confirming the line’s readiness for normal operations, the Department noted.
The restoration project was carried out by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) in collaboration with private-sector partners under the supervision of the Department of Railways.
As a result, passenger trains that had been operating only between Ambewela and Badulla will once again commence services from Nanu Oya starting June 20.
Meanwhile, the Department stated that restoration work has also begun on another landslide-damaged section of the railway line between Kotagala and Talawakelle.
Additionally, mapping and assessment activities are currently underway at the landslide site near Great Western railway station as part of ongoing restoration efforts, the Department added.
