Narahenpita Railway Station reopens after Rs. 40 Million upgrade

The upgraded Narahenpita Railway Station was reopened to the public yesterday (July 06) after a Rs. 40 million refurbishment under the ‘Dream Destination’ programme.

The reopening ceremony was held yesterday morning under the patronage of Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake.

The ‘Dream Destination’ programme aims to modernise and improve facilities at 100 railway stations across Sri Lanka through a public-private partnership. It is being carried out as a sustainable initiative by the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the supervision of the Department of Railways.

Narahenpita Railway Station is located on the Kelani Valley Railway Line, between the Kota Road and Kirulapone suburban railway stations. The station had not been refurbished for many years and had become unsafe, with poor passenger facilities.

The station is used by a large number of commuters travelling to and from Narahenpita, where many public and private sector institutions are located.

Refurbishment work began on September 27, 2025, under the leadership of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat. MAGA Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. provided financial support and carried out the construction work, while NIO Engineering provided technical expertise and related services.

The project included the construction of a new pedestrian overhead bridge, installation of a new station roof, extension of the second passenger platform, improvements to sanitation and sewerage systems, internal and external repainting, installation of new passenger seating, renovation of the railway quarters, upgrading of the lighting system, and resurfacing of the station access road with asphalt.

Several other improvements were also made to the station and its surrounding infrastructure.

MAGA Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. invested Rs. 40 million in the project.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the main aim of the ‘Dream Destination’ programme is to improve railway services by providing better facilities for passengers.

He said upgrading the human resources and physical infrastructure of the railway service is a major task. The Minister added that the Government plans to resolve long-standing issues while gradually improving the entire railway network.

He also said several steps have already been taken to improve the efficiency of public transport services.

Minister Rathnayake further announced that initial steps to introduce an electric railway service will be taken next year as part of the railway network expansion. The first phase will focus on the Colombo–Panadura, Colombo–Makumbura, and Colombo–Ragama corridors.

The Minister said the Government has also started a public-private development process to upgrade infrastructure linked to public transport.

He described the ‘Dream Destination’ initiative as another commitment to improve people’s daily lives, ensure their safety, secure their future, and include public views and expectations in the development process.

The event was attended by several officials and invitees, including Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra, Colombo Municipal Council Deputy Mayor Hemantha Weerakoon, Additional Secretary of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat Eng. S. P. C. Sugeeshwara, General Manager of Railways Ravindra Pathmapriya, Co-Managing Director of MAGA Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. Megha Kularatne, senior officials from the public and private sectors, and a large gathering of invitees.