CGR to break its 147 year old silent speed on Wednesday

People warned to be cautious as over 80 unprotected level crossings there

Sri Lanka Railway department for the first time since its inception incolonial period in 1864 will commence a modernized coastal trainservice at the speed of 100 KMPH from Wednesday.

The coastal railway line between the southern towns of Matara and Galle has been fully modernized with the Indian technical and financial assistance. Trains in this modernized railway line between the two stations will ply at the speed of 43 KMPH from Wednesday (16) thus making the journey to be completed within 28 minutes.

In between the two main towns there are six main stations and 102 railway crossings. Of this about 90 percent are unprotected level crossings. Therefore, the railway authorities warn the pedestrians and motorists along this 43 km length railway line to be extra cautious when using these unprotected railway crossings.

Transport Minister Kumar Welgama and Deputy Minister Rohana Dissanayaka will inaugurate this high speed service. CGR’s Director Planning Mr. Wijaya Samarasinghe told Information Department that so far since the commencement of CGR on December 24, 1864 the trains speed was 40 KMPH.

“This is the first time trains ply at the speed of 100 kmph in Sri Lanka after 147 years” Mr. Samarasinghe said.

He also said that the plan was to modernize the Colombo – Matara railway line to reach Matara from Colombo within two hours. As the first step Matara- Galle sector has been completed. The second stage will be modernization of  from Galle to Hikkaduwa and Hikkaduwa to Kalutara  from there to Colombo Maradana will be carried out under the
3rd and 4th stages enabling to reduce the time for the journey to two hours.