Trains to Jaffna before Avurudu

By Ranil Wijayapala

Expanding the train services on the Northern railway line, the Railway Department will extend the train service up to Pallai railway station from March 4 after the completion of the 40- kilometer stretch of rail track from Kilinochchi to Pallai, the Railway Department said.

The extension of the train service from Kilinochchi to Pallai will commence under the patronage of Transport Minister Kumara Welgama and the General Manager of Railways B. A.P Ariyaratne, Railway Operations Superintendent L.A.R. Ratnayake said.

The first train to Pallai will leave Kilinochcho on March 4 at 9.20 a.m. after Minister Welgama flags-off the train.

This will mark another milestone in restoring the train services to the North which was disrupted due to terrorism. The Railway Department will restore rail service up to Jaffna before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and fully restore the train services up to Kankasanthurai by mid this year, Railway Department sources said.

With the commencement of the train services up to Pallai the Yal Devi train leaving Fort at 5.45 a.m., Deyata Kirula Intercity train leaving Fort at 6.50 am and Night Mail train leaving Fort at 8.15 pm on daily basis will be operated up to Pallai railway station from March 5. Apart from those regular trains, trains operating from Matara to Kilinochchi on Saturday 's at 7.00 am will also be extended up to Pallai. The train will reach Pallai railway station at 4.50 p.m.

Deyata Kirula Intercity Train will also commence operations from Pallai on March 5 leaving Pallai at 2.15 pm to arrive in Fort at 8.05 p.m. The Yal Devi train starting from Pallai station will also commence its operation from March 6 s and will leave Pallai at 10.40 am to reach Fort at 18.25 p.m daily.

The night mail train from Pallai will commence operations from March 6 and leave Pallai station at 8 p.m. to reach Fort at 4.40 a.m. the following day.

The train from Pallai to Matara on every Sunday will begin on March 6, leaving Pallai at 9.45 am to reach Matara at 4.45 p.m.

Apart from these train the air-condition intercity train will also commence its operations from March 7. The train will leave Fort at 2.45 p.m. daily to reach Pallai at 8.28 p.m. The airconditioned intercity train service from Pallai to Fort will be started from Pallai from March 8 onwards leaving Pallai station at 6.50 am to reach Colombo Fort at 12.50 p.m.