The Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union announced the withdrawal of goods and fuel trains operating from Mahawa to Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Kankesanthurai, citing repeated collisions with elephants as the cause.
Union General Secretary Chandana Wiyanduwa said the suspension took effect at midnight on November 23.
He also indicated that the night mail train is expected to be withdrawn from service from today (24).
“Train operations have been severely disrupted due to elephant collisions, which cause damage to both the elephants and the trains. As locomotive drivers, we cannot control this, and we cannot be held responsible for the resulting disruptions,” Wiyanduwa said.
Wiyanduwa warned that with the increasing frequency of such incidents, operating trains through these routes may become impossible in the future, leading to major delays for passengers.
He said the union has repeatedly informed the government and the relevant department that drivers should not be held accountable, but no concrete action has been taken.
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