The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the answer is as follows.

¶ 02 The trains operating Colombo Fort–Talaimannar and return are not designated office trains for those alighting from or departing Colombo Fort; however, the 15:45 Colombo Fort–Talaimannar calls at Polgahawela 17:05, Kurunegala 17:29, Maho Junction 18:28, Anuradhapura 19:50, Medawachchiya 20:20 and arrives at Talaimannar at 22:13, thereby serving office commuters in the evening at Gampaha, Veyangoda, Polgahawela and Kurunegala. The return departs Talaimannar 04:10, via Medawachchiya, Anuradhapura, Maho, Kurunegala, Polgahawela, reaching Colombo Fort at 10:19, serving office commuters from Medawachchiya to Kurunegala.

¶ 03 This service uses a power-car train set with a limited pool of locomotives, many aged; occasional mechanical failures occur. Speed restrictions due to track works and absence of a commissioned signalling system between Maho and Anuradhapura also contribute to delays during crossings. To minimize delays, locomotive overhauls are underway and a signalling system for Maho–Anuradhapura is being installed.

¶ 04 The approach road from Mannar town to the station is RDA road B.030, 2.4 km long and 4.0 m wide, gravel and tar. Although a contract was awarded in 2019 to improve it, economic constraints halted work. Under the RDA maintenance and improvement programme, the first 1 km will be widened to 5.0 m and carpeted. Tenders have been called by the RDA Northern Province Director; bids are scheduled to be opened on 20.11.2025. The estimated cost is Rs. 47.68 million. Construction is expected to commence on 20.12.2025 and be completed by 15.03.2026.

¶ 05 Regarding a connecting bus service, an SLTB bus operates morning and afternoon for schoolchildren between the station and the bus stand. A regular passenger service from the bus stand to the station commenced in May 2025 on request of the District Coordinating Committee but was suspended after about two weeks due to insufficient patronage. It was restarted on 03.11.2025, but low patronage and current heavy rains in Mannar have led passengers to prefer three-wheelers.

¶ 06 Online ticketing at Mannar station was available initially. During rehabilitation of the A14 (Anuradhapura road), train operations were suspended and the station closed; online facilities were then removed and reinstalled when services resumed. Now it is working. Last month, 2,836 online reservations were made for Talaimannar–Colombo Fort, of which 486 were from Mannar station. Online seat reservations are available via the Sri Lanka Railways Reservation App and website; normal tickets can be purchased via pravesha.lk.