The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Association has alleged that renovation work on the Peradeniya Railway Bridge along the up-country railway line has been suspended, and that there are currently no plans to commence repairs on the railway track between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa.

In a statement, the Association said the Peradeniya bridge, which was damaged due to floods, was initially slated for the construction of a new double bridge with government intervention. However, authorities later decided to proceed with plans to repair the existing structure instead. The government had also announced that train services to Kandy would resume by April 2026.

Although the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) undertook the renovation work under state intervention, the union claimed that the Railway Engineering Technical Committee determined that the work carried out did not meet the required standards. As a result, renovation activities on the Peradeniya Railway Bridge have reportedly been halted.

The Department of Railways has now proposed calling for a fresh report regarding the future course of action on the bridge, the statement added.

The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Association further alleged that certain actions of the current General Manager of Railways have contributed to the crisis. It claimed that appointing an officer from the administrative service to the post has worsened the situation.

According to the union, the present General Manager has sought to reduce operational costs by cutting down train journeys based on what it described as a simplistic approach to portraying the department as profitable. The union warned that the inability of departmental officials to express their views — and the alleged failure of the General Manager to heed professional input — has not only tarnished the government’s image but also caused severe inconvenience to railway passengers.

The union stressed that these issues have significantly hampered efforts to restore railway lines damaged by landslides and flooding.

Accordingly, the Association urged authorities to appoint a committee comprising retired engineers who previously served as General Manager of Railways within the Department to expedite the restoration of normal train operations.