The imported new luxury S14 Chinese Power set, ‘Denuwara Menike’, made its first journey to Badulla last morning, the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry said in a press release.
The launching ceremony of the train service was held at the Fort Railway station with the participation of Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, and the train left for Badulla from the Fort Railway Station at 6.45 am last morning. Former Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva took part in the event.
Minister Ranatunga said the new power set was deployed considering the passenger requirements. He added that this power set has been specially designed to be suitable to operate in the hill country.
The Railway Department said the train will leave from Colombo Fort at 6.45 am every other day and reach Badulla at 3.27 pm. It will leave Badulla at 7.20 am and reach Colombo Fort at 4.03 pm on the following day.
The release said that the train consists of two air-conditioned (AC) compartments, two-second class compartments and three third-class compartments including a canteen.
The express train will stop at Polgahawela, Rambukkana, Peradeniya, Kandy, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, Hatton, Talawakelle, Nanu Oya, Ambewela, Pattipola, Haputale, Diyatalawa, Bandarawela, Ella, Demodara and Badulla.
The first class ticket fare on AC compartments is Rs.1,700 for Badulla from Colombo Fort, the second class is Rs.1,000 and the third class is Rs.700.
The new train carries mobile phone charging facilities, hand free facilities and a public call centre.
Two Chinese robots at BIA to detect drugs, explosives The Police Narcotics Bureau deployed two robots gifted by China to detect drugs at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Police Spokesman SSP Ruwan Gunasekara said in a release.
It is for the first time in history the police use robots to identify explosives and drugs at the BIA.
The robotic machines can detect explosives and drugs within the range of 3km. The value of each machine is Rs. 85.5 million. Those detectors have been designed to sense explosives and weapons hidden in the human body automatically.
The government of the People’s Republic of China donated the robots in September.
Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan officially handed them to President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Office.
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