He said steps would also be taken to transport Cement as well as Flour from Prima company in the east in the near future.

“Transportation of coal and other goods by train is more profitable and owing to this, the road congestion, air pollution and road accidents are reduced, therefore action will be taken to use the Railways with effect from November 01 and come to an agreement with Holcim Company for the transport of Cement”, Minister Silva said.

He further said, 45 trucks of coal will be transported everyday from Tricomalee to Puttalam and also to Mahawa by rail, resulting in the reduction of the heavy congestion. Transportation of coal to Mahawa is more profitable to the Railway Department, he said. At present 12 railway trucks are used to transport coal. The Minister said that he has advised to use another train for this purpose.

Earlier a railway jetty was constructed to transport coal to China Bay and used it. However, it was halted later and therefore Coal, Prima flour and Cement were transported using the highway. The Transport Minister has instructed the authorities to resume the transportation of goods through railway transport up to China Bay.

The Minister made these instructions at a meeting held on October 16 at the China Bay Railway Station and after observing the unloading of coal imported by Holcim Company which arrived from a ship from Malaysia.

According to the agreement signed by the Holcim Company and the Railway Department, the railways earns Rs.202 million per year. Meanwhile, the higher officials of the Holcim Company told the Minister that in due course transportation of cement from Puttalam and Trincomalee would be handed over to the Railway Department.