92 of 97 railway damage sites restored after Ditwah

A total of 92 out of 97 damaged locations on the main railway line from Maradana to Peradeniya have been restored after the Ditwah disaster, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said.

In a Facebook post published yesterday (May 05), the Deputy Minister said the damage included landslides, soil erosion, rockfalls, and damage to bridges and culverts.

According to Dr. Gunasena, restoration work is still continuing at five more locations between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa.

He said the Department of Railways has restored most of the damaged locations through the commitment of its officers and workers.

The remaining work is being carried out under special engineering inspections and plans prepared by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI), due to the complex nature of the restoration process.

Dr. Gunasena said the work is difficult because access to the damaged areas is available only through the railway line itself.

He also said work at one location must be completed before moving to the next location.

Transporting raw materials has also become a challenge. Due to this, special measures are being taken in some places, including removing sections of the railway track and transporting materials by vehicle.

A service train has been operating from Rambukkana to Kadigamuwa since May 03, 2026, to transport raw materials needed for the restoration work.

Dr. Gunasena said a field visit was made on April 29, 2026, to inspect the damaged areas of the up-country railway line and the restoration work now being carried out.

The visit also looked into the needs of railway employees involved in restoring the railway line.

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