Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Prasanna Gunasena, has strongly condemned what he described as “planned sabotage” behind the recent wave of train cancellations across the country. Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, Gunasena accused a group of train drivers of orchestrating deliberate disruptions, warning that if they cannot fulfill their duties, they should resign immediately.
The Minister revealed that the government is considering halting railway operations for one to two weeks in order to overhaul the entire system. “This is not a coincidence,” he said. “We’ve identified the drivers involved by name, and there’s clearly political sabotage at play.”
Gunasena dismissed drivers’ claims of sudden illness, pointing out that mass sick leave at such a scale was implausible. “You can’t tell me dozens of drivers suddenly got sick at once. This is organized obstruction. The relevant drivers will be questioned about their excuses and their leave,” he said.
He added that the Transport Ministry has a plan with fixed timelines to resolve long-standing issues within the railway service and warned those unwilling to support the effort to step down. “If you can’t carry out the necessary work, then hand in your resignation and go,” he asserted.
Train cancellations over the past two days have left thousands of passengers stranded and sparked public outrage. Gunasena said the government will take “maximum action” to restore reliability and ensure accountability within the Sri Lanka Railway system.
