The Northern Railway Line, heavily damaged by Cyclone Ditva, will be temporarily closed at several sections starting tomorrow (January 19, 2026).
General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Pathmapriya, said adressing a media briefing that the Mahawa–Anuradhapura section will be closed from January 19, while the Mahawa–Omantha section will be fully closed from January 26 for renovation work. Work on the Medawachchiya–Talaimannar line will also begin from January 19.
The project includes replacing five railway bridges along the Mahawa–Omantha line and renovating a tunnel used for the passage of wild elephants. Authorities aim to complete the work before the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year to restore normal north–south train operations.
Despite the closures, selected train services will continue. The Pulathisi Intercity Express and Udayadevi trains will operate from January 20, and the Night Mail Train will resume service to Trincomalee. The Yalrani train will run from January 19 between Anuradhapura and Kankesanthurai and from January 27 between Omantha and Kankesanthurai.
Officials attending the briefing included Ravindra Pathmapriya, Chinthaka Jayasekara (Director, Northern Railway Reconstruction Project), Priyantha Deegala (Chief Engineer, Railway Roads and Industries Division), and Asanka Samarasinghe (Superintendent of Railway Traffic).
