President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has proposed an allocation of Rs. 80 billion in the 2027 Budget for the first phase of a major railway electrification programme covering three key railway lines.
Delivering the 2027 Budget Speech in Parliament today, the President said the Government plans to invest more than Rs. 1.2 trillion in electrifying three main railway lines as part of efforts to modernise the country's railway sector.
Under the first phase of the programme, Rs. 45 billion has been allocated for the electrification of the Kelani Valley railway line from Maradana to Homagama.
A further Rs. 16.4 billion has been allocated for electrifying the Main Line from Maradana to Ragama, while Rs. 17.7 billion has been earmarked for the Coastal Line from Maradana to Panadura.
The proposed allocation also includes Rs. 900 million for related operational expenses, including land acquisition.
Meanwhile, the President announced that Rs. 5 billion has been allocated to purchase five new trains for the railway service, while a further Rs. 2 billion has been set aside in 2027 to repair railway stations that have remained poorly maintained for an extended period.
Addressing the restoration of railway services following the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, he said train services between Colombo and Peradeniya had resumed through the efficient deployment of resources by the Department of Railways.
Rehabilitation work on the railway sections from Rambukkana to Peradeniya, the Up-Country Line from Peradeniya to Gampola, and the Matale Line has also commenced under the Government of India's loan assistance programme.
The Government expects train services to reach Kandy within the first quarter of 2027 and the full restoration of the Up-Country railway line, including services up to Badulla, by the middle of next year.
The President further stated that a record Rs. 95 billion would be allocated to modernise railway and passenger bus services, strengthen connectivity between transport networks and promote sustainable public transport.
