Cabinet Approves 909 Recruits to Railways

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation says that Cabinet approval has been granted to recruit 909 individuals to fill vacancies in the Department of Railways at the beginning of this year. 

Among these, 106 new Station Masters will be appointed.

The Ministry said that solutions have already been provided at the ministerial level in response to the demands of Station Masters. 

It also criticized the department’s inefficiency in implementing these decisions and expressed its displeasure over the immediate launch of trade union action, disrupting public services. 

Meanwhile, Railway services across the country have been severely disrupted due to a strike launched by railway stationmasters at midnight yesterday.

The railway Operation and Control center confirmed that several long-distance trains, including those operating between Jaffna and Badulla, were cancelled this morning. 

The night mail scheduled for last night was also cancelled as a result of the strike.

Chairman of the Railway Stationmasters' Association, Sumedha Somaratne, said that the strike was launched to demand urgent solutions to longstanding issues related to the recruitment and promotion process within the railway service.