2026-08-06
A number of railway development projects are being planned for implementation during the 2027–2029 period with the objective of providing a more efficient and effective railway service, Hon. Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake informed Parliament recently.
Accordingly, the following projects are scheduled for implementation:
• Colombo Suburban Railway Project
• Kelani Bridge Modernisation Project
• Replacement of 10 railway bridges located at Slave Island (Kompannavidiya), Narahenpita, Aluthgama, Induruwa, Gintota, Dodanduwa, Wellawatte, Pinwatta, Hikkaduwa, and Panadura
• Procurement of five power sets and five diesel-electric locomotives for Sri Lanka Railways
• Kurunegala–Polgahawela Double-Track Railway Project
• Development of the Kelani Valley Railway Line from Maradana to Ratnapura
• Procurement of five new locomotives and five light rail train sets for suburban passenger transport
• Railway Station Modernisation and Standardisation Programme – Dream Destination (2027–2029)
• Refurbishment of Ratmalana Workshops 27 and 28
The Minister made these remarks while responding to a Question for Oral Answers raised in Parliament by Hon. Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake.
The Minister further stated that the modernisation of the Colombo suburban railway service is expected to increase rail patronage by providing the public with a comfortable, safe, affordable and passenger-friendly transport service.
In addition, a feasibility study for the Kandy Suburban Railway Project is currently underway. The Government is also continuing efforts to introduce new railway locomotives into service, rehabilitate railway tracks, implement railway station modernisation and standardisation programmes, and further improve the e-ticketing system.
Sri Lanka's railway network is currently divided into four categories of railway lines, comprising:
• Single-track lines (Category A): 1,308.707 km
• Double-track lines (Category B): 282.912 km
• Third-track lines (Category C): 40.938 km
• Fourth-track lines (Category D): 7.580 km
The total operational railway network therefore extends to 1,640.137 kilometres.
The Minister's reply further stated that the annual revenue generated from railway transportation (including passenger, freight and other services) over the past five years was as follows:
• 2021: Rs. 2,678,724,988.46
• 2022: Rs. 10,335,603,440.66
• 2023: Rs. 16,079,474,195.75
• 2024: Rs. 16,468,344,008.55
• 2025: Rs. 17,165,992,777.48
2026-10-12
The Parliament of Sri Lanka marked a major milestone on 5th October with the official opening of its newly established Translation Unit.Established with the aim of providing the necessary facilities to handle the translation work of the Parliament more efficiently, this Unit was declared open by Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary-General of Parliament. Speaking at the event, the Secretary-General of Parliament noted that sound leadership as well as collective unity are essential for the progress of any institution. Stating that the Parliamentary Secretariat always stands for the well-being, job security, and professional advancement of all its employees, she emphasized that the staff is the most valuable asset of the Parliament in ensuring its smooth functioning. Further, the Secretary-General expressed great pleasure about how the interpreters have actively taken the lead and played a driving role in bringing this initiative to fruition despite that this new unit was opened for translators.Mr. Hansa Abeyratne, Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament, Mr. Jayalath Perera, Director - Legislative Services, and Heads of Departments and other senior officers of Parliament were also present at the occasion.Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Jayalath Perera, Director - Legislative Services, mentioned that in addition to providing interpreting services, the Interpreters’ Office undertakes a large volume of written translation work. He added that, despite this workload, no office in Parliament has ever raised a complaint regarding delays in translation work.The concept of establishing a separate Translation Unit to handle parliamentary translation work was submitted to the Secretary-General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, by the Chief Parliamentary Interpreter, Mr. C. J. Karunarathna. It became a reality with the full support of the Secretary-General and the Assistant Secretary-General. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Karunarathna, Chief Parliamentary Interpreter, expressed deep appreciation for the support extended by the Secretary-General and the Assistant Secretary-General in upgrading the physical infrastructure of the Interpreters’ Office and providing training opportunities to parliamentary interpreters to enhance the quality of interpretation.The establishment of this unit aims to create a better professional environment for translators in Parliament and to better meet the translation requirements of the institution.During the event, the Translators’ Anthem and the Code of Ethics for Interpreters were presented to the Secretary-General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, and the Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Hansa Abeyratne. Certificates were also awarded to newly appointed interpreters and translators who successfully completed the training programme conducted by the Interpreters’ Office.Additionally, mementos were presented to the Secretary-General of Parliament and the Assistant Secretary-General to mark the establishment of the Translation Unit.Meanwhile, the commemoration of International Translation Day 2026, which fell on September 30th, was also held concurrently under the patronage of the Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament, Mr. Hansa Abeyratne. This year’s International Translation Day was commemorated under the theme "Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights" along with the sub-theme "The Power of Being Understood."The event highlighted the crucial role that interpretation and translation play in fostering communication and mutual understanding across diverse languages and cultures.Former Deputy Chief Parliamentary Interpreters, Mr. K. M. Christopher and Mr. N. Seerpadam, also attended the ceremony, and their valuable service to the Parliamentary Interpretation Service was commended.Commemorating both the establishment of the first ever Translation Unit of the Parliament and the International Translation Day 2026, this event marked an important step in elevating the parliamentary interpretation and translation services into a more professional and efficient service.A large number of interpreters and translators, including Deputy Chief Parliamentary Interpreters Mr. A. Saravanabavanandan, Ms. Chamila Nissanga, and Mr. G.F.P. Sureshwaran, attended this event.
2026-10-09
The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the delegation of the Asia Foundation on 07 October at Parliament.Welcoming the delegation from the Asia Foundation, the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya expressed appreciation for the Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Sri Lanka and its continued support for the country’s development efforts.The delegation congratulated the Government on its recent initiatives and commended Sri Lanka’s progress in navigating the economic crisis and strengthening the country’s recovery.During the meeting, The Asia Foundation outlined its key areas of engagement and interest in Sri Lanka, including digitalisation and digital transformation, women’s economic empowerment, the care economy, poverty alleviation and social protection, maritime security and social empowerment and inclusive development.Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya briefed the delegation on the Government’s key priorities, including sustaining economic growth, attracting investment and promoting inclusive and equitable economic development, while remaining aligned with the programmes and commitments supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.She further emphasised the importance of strengthening public institutions, enhancing institutional accountability and transparency, combating corruption and improving government revenue mobilisation as part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen governance.Prime Minister also highlighted education reform and the expansion of vocational and skills-based education as key priorities for developing a future-ready workforce and supporting the country’s economic transformation.The discussion also focused on advancing Sri Lanka’s digital economy and digital transformation, particularly through the use of technology to improve public service delivery and create new economic opportunities.The occasion was attended by the Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Foundation; Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Chair of the Board; Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. along with the representatives of The Asia Foundation and Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister; Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister and the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka.
2026-10-08
A delegation from the Parliament of Sri Lanka recently participated in a tailor-made peer-to-peer training programme titled ‘Evidence, Innovation, and Foresight in Parliamentary Research’, held at the National Council of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava from 29 September to 2 October 2026. The initiative was conducted under the Inter Pares Partnership with the Parliament of Sri Lanka.Designed to support the ongoing development of the Parliamentary Research Division, the programme focused on comparative exchange with research services from prominent European parliaments. Key areas of study included research workflows, quality assurance, accessible product development, digital knowledge management, the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and forward-looking research methodologies.The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary General of Parliament, and included, Mr. Siyath Ahemed, Librarian; Mr. Mohammed Ajiwadeen, Senior Research Officer; Ms. Tekshila Erandathi Lokuge, Senior Research Officer; Mr. Nishan Wickramasingha Mohottige, Systems Analyst; and Ms. Sachinie Gunasekara, Deputy Principal Officer. A major focus of the training was the secure and responsible adoption of AI tools in legislative research. Participants examined institutional frameworks covering AI governance, data protection, confidentiality, accuracy, political neutrality, and rigorous human oversight. Practical sessions demonstrated how AI can enhance evidence gathering, document comparison, summarization, and knowledge management.Additionally, the programme underscored the strategic value of legislative foresight. By utilizing horizon scanning, trend identification, and scenario development, parliamentary researchers can better equip lawmakers to anticipate future challenges and analyze the long-term implications of public policy beyond immediate political cycles.During the visit, the delegation met with the Secretary General and senior officials of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, alongside cultural visits to the Speaker’s Gallery and the National Museum.The Parliament of Sri Lanka extends its sincere appreciation to the National Council of the Slovak Republic, International IDEA, and the Inter Pares Partnership. Gratitude is also extended to the expert contributors and partner parliaments from Czechia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Lithuania, and the United States Congressional Research Service for facilitating this valuable capacity-building initiative.
2026-10-08
The Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament today (Oct. 08) with amendments and without a vote. Accordingly the amendments seek to address legal, interpretational, administrative and technical issues identified in the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, discrepancies between the Sinhala and English texts of the Act, issues relating to the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences, administrative matters of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), and the process of submitting declarations of assets and liabilities through a centralized electronic system.These amendments are expected to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s existing legal and institutional framework for combating corruption and ensure that the Anti-Corruption Act is implemented effectively, transparently and with accountability.
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