An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued on the directive of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, declaring railway services as essential services.

Accordingly, the public transport services for passengers or goods and the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by railway lines have been declared as essential service with immediate effect under the Essential Public Service Act.

Earlier today, Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardane said that he would request the President to declare the railway services as an essential service from midnight today (Sep. 12), and issue a Gazette notification accordingly, in order to safeguard the law and peace and the public security of the country.

However, Gunawardena mentioned that “a country that has fallen into trouble due to ‘trade union terrorism’, and is unable to recover, will not survive further if this situation continues”.

At least 20 scheduled train services were cancelled this morning due to the strike action launched by the Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union since midnight yesterday (Sept. 11).

As a result of the trade union action, passengers were seen train surfing due to overcrowding, and many others were left stranded at railway stations, whereas a fatal incident of a 20-year-old falling off the train roof after knocking against the roof of the Horape railway station was also reported.

According to reports, the critically injured youth has died on the spot.