EconomyGeneralHOTWednesday, June 17, 2026

Up-Country Train Services: Nanu Oya-Badulla to Resume June 20, Nawalapitiya-Badulla in September

TLDR

Nanu Oya-Badulla train line resumes June 20 after 7 months closure.
Four trains daily operate; Nawalapitiya-Badulla resumes September.
Restoration from Cyclone Ditwah damage is complete; 'Podi Menike' ran.

Passenger train services on Sri Lanka's Up-country railway line, which were disrupted due to damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, are scheduled to resume operations from Nanu Oya to Badulla starting this Saturday, July 20. Currently, services are limited to the stretch between Badulla and Ambewela. The announcement was made by Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Chairman of the Nuwara Eliya District Coordination Committee and Member of Parliament, during a discussion regarding the Hatton SLTB depot. Restoration efforts are actively underway, addressing multiple landslide-affected sections including areas near Kotagala, Great Western, Nanu Oya, Parakumpura, and Ambewela, with some work involving the private sector. While the Nanu Oya to Badulla section reopens this week, the complete restoration of the entire Up-country line is projected to be finalized by September.

7 Updates

Update #8\u00b7 Jun 20 · 7:16 AM

Train services between Nanu Oya and Badulla resumed today, June 20th, after a seven-month closure due to damage from Cyclone Ditwah. The disruption was caused by a landslide in the Parakumpura area between Ambewela and Nanu Oya, which had previously limited services to the Ambewela-Badulla section. The restoration was a collaborative effort by railway engineers, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), and a private institution. The resumption saw the 'Podi Menike' train depart Nanu Oya at 9:00 AM. The inauguration event at Nanu Oya station was attended by MP Manjula Suravirarachchi and Executive Engineer Dhanushka.

Update #7\u00b7 Jun 20 · 5:31 AM

Train services on the Nanu Oya-Badulla line resumed on June 20th, extending operations beyond the previously limited Badulla-Ambewela section. The Nanu Oya-Ambewela section had been closed for seven months due to damage from Cyclone Ditwah. Separately, Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake stated that restoration work on the Rambukkana to Kandy railway line is expected to be completed within this year.

Update #6\u00b7 Jun 20 · 1:16 AM

Train services between Nanu Oya and Badulla resumed today, June 20th, as confirmed by Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake. The resumption of services on the Nanu Oya–Ambawela line, damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, also enables the stranded train at Nanu Oya to return to operation. Four trains will operate daily on the Badulla–Nanu Oya section.

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