Commuters on the Kelani Valley railway line have been left stranded by the repeated cancellation of the Colombo Fort–Avissawella semi-express train, which has been pulled from service without prior notice on four occasions in two weeks.
The Railway Department cancelled the 4.00 p.m. semi-express from Colombo Fort to Avissawella on Thursday, the second cancellation this week. The same train was cancelled twice last week. No reason has been given by railway authorities on any occasion.
With the evening service withdrawn, large numbers of passengers were expected to fall back on the 4.25 p.m. Avissawella-bound train, producing heavy overcrowding at Colombo Fort and Maradana stations.
The knock-on effect is sharpest for passengers boarding further down the line. Commuters joining at intermediate stations including Baseline and Narahenpita may be unable to board the 4.25 p.m. service at all because of limited space, leaving them to wait for the following train.
Passengers have expressed frustration at the pattern of unannounced cancellations. Railway authorities have not offered an explanation or indicated how the problem will be resolved.
The Kelani Valley line runs from Colombo Fort south-east to Avissawella, serving dense commuter suburbs on the city’s eastern approaches. Because the line carries a high share of daily office traffic into Colombo and back, the withdrawal of a single peak-hour service transfers its entire passenger load onto the next departure rather than spreading it across the timetable.
