– The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union (SLRSMU) has raised concerns over a serious procedural lapse following an accident between Mirigama and Ambepussa, where an S9 power set train engine reportedly collided with a mini excavator engaged in signal maintenance work along the railway line.SLRSMU President Sumedha Somaratne said the train operating on a test run between Mirigama and Ambepussa was involved in the incident this evening when it struck the excavator that was carrying out maintenance work on the track.He alleged that the Station Masters of both Mirigama and Ambepussa were not informed of the operation, describing it as a significant breach of established railway safety procedures.

According to Somaratne, earlier practice required railway track inspectors and signal inspectors to issue written notifications to Station Masters before conducting inspections or maintenance work on the line. However, he said that in this case, no such communication was made despite the availability of improved technical systems.He further said that the Railways Department had not yet compiled full details regarding the incident. Based on instructions from the Railway Controller, train services on the main line are currently operating on a single line.“This raises serious questions about the management of the department,” he said.

The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union has called on the President, the General Manager of Railways, and the Ministry of Transport to take immediate steps to prevent similar incidents in the future, warning that passenger safety could be at risk if procedural lapses continue.