Gazette extending SL Railways an essential service issued

President Maithripala Sirisena has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification extending Sri Lanka Railways as an essential service dated the 27th of July 2019.

The gazette reads, considering it necessary that the services provided by any Public Corporation or Government Department or Local Authority or Cooperative Society or any branch which is engaged in provision of the Services specified, is essential to the life of the community and is likely to be impeded or interrupted, the services specified hereto to be essential to the public.

Accordingly the gazette states, public transport services for passengers or goods, services of any description whatsoever necessary or required to be handled by the Department of Railways including the transport services by rail and railway lines, their maintenance and provision of proper security measures, signalling systems and their operation, issuance of tickets that are essential for the efficient and uninterrupted operation of all services and all work and supply of labour of any description required for the maintenance is expected of railway employees.