Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-01-13

Outsourcing of heavy repairs of Passenger Coaches to outside parties with the objective of providing a more efficient and comfortable train service to the general public

- The Sri Lanka Railways at present, utilizes coaches hauled by locomotives and diesel multiple units, for the transportation of passengers. Approximately 450 Nos. of passenger coaches are required for the service currently maintained by the department and such coaches have to undergo heavy repairs biennially. Those repairs are presently being carried out at the Central Railway Workshop at Ratmalana. Since the heavy repairs in the coaches are excessive, it has been difficult to undergo monthly repairs of sufficient coaches and release them. Accordingly, with a view to providing a more safe and comfortable railway service to the public, the proposal made by Hon. Nimal Siripala De Silva, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to invite competitive bids from the reputed local industrialists, to undertake the heavy repairs of 200 passenger coaches and locomotives and release them expeditiously for service, while continuing the present repairs carried out by the employees of the Railways, was approved by the Cabinet.