BusBooking.lk

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) have deployed extra fleets of buses during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season.

Addressing the media at the Transport Ministry , SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena said that special bus services has been deployed around the clock from April 8 to 15 for passengers travelling to their villages for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

The buses will operate from the Central Bus Stand in Pettah and the Southern Highway bus stands in Maharagama and Kaduwela.

He further said that over 3,482 additional bus turns will operate in addition to the existing 5, 800 turns per day.

The Ministry of Internal Transport has launched a programme to modernize the country's intercity train service network.

Under this programme the Kelani Valley railway track in the Colombo operating region that runs to Avissawella from Colombo will be developed while the railway track to Sapugaskanda will be reconstructed.

The programme also plans to extend the double track on the coastal line up to Aluthgama railway station and another double track will be constructed between Polgahawela and Kurunegala stations.

The railway track from Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and Maho to Trincomalee to Batticaloa will be renovated also be developed.

It has also been planned to construct a new railway track from Kurunegala to Habarana via Dambulla.

In addition to this feasibility studies are being carried out to construct a railway track from Colombo Fort to Battaramulla.

After more than 24 years, direct train services between Colombo and Talaimannar resumed from April 2nd. The train will run on the newly completed railway track between Medawachchiya and Talaimannar.

Branching off the Northern Line at Medawachchiya Junction, the line heads north-west through North Central and Northern provinces before terminating at the town of Talaimannar. The line is 106 kilometres (66 mi) long and has 11 stations. The line opened in 1914.

Accordingly, four train services are scheduled to operate between Colombo Fort and the Talaimannar Pier daily. Two trains will leave the Fort railway station at 7.40 pm and 8.50 am daily, while two trains would operate daily from the Talaimannar Pier railway station at 10 pm and 10.15 am respectively.

Talaimannar Pier is Rs.740 per person for one way journey on first class while the second class fees will be Rs.420 and Rs.230 respectively.

Construction work of the Medawachchiya-Talaimannar Pier was carried out by IRCON International Limited, a government entity of the Indian Railways Ministry under the US $800 million Line of Credit, which has been extended by the Indian government on concessional terms.

The reconstructed railway line was commissioned by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 14. The completion of the railway line up to Talaimannar renews rail connectivity between Mannar and the rest of the country.