Journey on Sri Lanka's Kelani Valley Railway: A Traveler's Perspective

Traveling by train in Sri Lanka can be considered both a blessing and a curse. The railway line in my area is known as the Kelani Valley railway line. This railway was originally built during the colonial era by the British. From what I've heard, this railway line once extended to areas called Opanayaka and Yatiyantota. However, today, the line has been shortened and only reaches as far as Avissawella. Currently, the railway has just a single track for train operations, and there haven't been significant changes to this railway line since it was first constructed.

The Daily Commute Begins

I start my journey early in the morning from Waga train station, but since I live quite far from the station, I need to catch the morning bus first. The bus route I use is known as the 148 Labugama route, which is infamous for its unreliable service. People often say, "You could come back from anywhere in the world, but you still can't get home on this bus route." Some days, when I wake up late and miss the scheduled bus, I still head out hoping to catch it, only to find that the bus isn't running at all.

In such situations, I usually try to hitchhike with passing motorcyclists. However, there are many times when no one stops despite my signals. On these occasions, I've had to walk all the way to Waga train station numerous times. While walking is good for physical health but traveling on foot on Sri Lankan roads for work means increased mental stress and a higher probability of accidents from undisciplined drivers. Nevertheless, when I finally arrive at the station after walking and then board the crowded train, my clothes start to smell as my sweat mixes with the dust in the surrounding air.

Promises of Development

Politicians in Sri Lanka talk about developing the railway system during election periods to win votes, but in reality, meaningful development rarely happens. Development projects initiated by previous governments typically stall midway or are hastily completed with minimal usefulness before being handed over to the public. This is the usual pattern in countries like Sri Lanka that are perpetually "developing." There's a common saying among Sri Lankans: "If the British had never left, this country would be a developed nation by now."

Recently, Sri Lanka introduced an e-ticket system for trains, but it has many shortcomings. As a passenger who has used this new e-ticket service, I once booked a ticket online from home, only to arrive at the station and be told that the train had derailed. I later reported this to the Colombo Main Railway Station, and they promised to refund the money for my online e-ticket. However, several months have passed, and I still haven't received any refund. Similarly, on another occasion when the train broke down mid-journey, I requested a refund from the Colombo Railway Headquarters, but nothing has been done to date. Due to these issues, I've stopped using the e-ticket system and reverted to buying regular tickets with cash.

In truth, despite promises of introducing a unified digital payment method for public transportation in Sri Lanka, no such system has been implemented to date. This causes significant inconvenience for passengers using public transport. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government has taken no steps to resolve this situation. While train passengers face these issues, bus passengers often don't receive change for their fares, which is especially unfortunate for the innocent, poor passengers who struggle in overcrowded buses only to lose money due to not receiving their change.

The Morning Crowd

When I arrive at Waga train station early in the morning, I encounter various people, many of whom are government employees. In fact, the Kelani Valley train I take is mostly used by government employees rather than people in regular jobs. Although these government employees now receive considerably higher salaries compared to private sector employees, their desire to save more money by using the train is a common sight in Sri Lanka. Indeed, the Sri Lankan railway passenger transport service charges relatively very low fares compared to the bus services in the country.

Looking the Other Way

Despite the countless deficiencies in Sri Lanka's Kelani Valley train, there are plenty of railway office workers who travel to the Colombo Main Railway Headquarters seemingly oblivious to these issues, showing no concern about them. Many government employees who arrive at Waga station in the morning tend to scrunch up their faces like crumpled paper when they see an unfamiliar person at the train station, and they often cough loudly or spit where they stand (this is actually a bad trait among Sri Lankan people in general).

Some government employees spend their time waiting for the train by picking flowers from the decorative plants at the station to offer to Lord Buddha. After they finish plucking all the flowers from the plants, the train station is left with a desolate, gloomy atmosphere. Somehow, after all the flowers have been picked from the plants, seeing the remaining inefficient, dull faces of government employees instead of flowers in the station environment creates a sense of disappointment and gloominess at the very start of the day.

The Train Experience

When waiting for a train to arrive, seeing the rusty, dust-discolored, faded-colored train slowly approaching in the distance doesn't bring any joyful feeling to the heart. During the rainy season, water leaks from the train roof, making the inside of the train compartments slippery. Sometimes I worry that government office women with their high-heeled shoes might slip and fall when hurriedly entering the train compartment due to the wetness inside.

After boarding the train, passengers don't immediately sit on the seats. If you were to sit right away, your light-colored trousers and shirt might become discolored and start to smell because these train compartments are never cleaned after journeys end. Many train compartments have broken and dented metal sheets. and windows Rusted doors, some of which cannot be opened, are common. The inexplicable odor that sometimes develops inside the train compartments is a common characteristic of trains running on the Kelani Valley railway line.

The seats are not comfortable, and being made of very coarse plastic, some long-distance travelers stand up and sit down alternately during their journey. If you're a newcomer to this train, you're very unlikely to get a seat at all because many government employees call out to people, they know from a distance to offer them seats.

Passengers in the first compartment often have to endure the unpleasant noise from the train engine. In some cases, it's impossible to listen to music using headphones on your mobile phone.

The Impact on Mental Health

Delays, derailments, and engine failures are very common on Sri Lanka's Kelani Valley railway, and the resulting overcrowding inside the train creates significant mental stress and physical exhaustion. This pressure experienced by government employees traveling on Sri Lanka's Kelani Valley railway line is often released by mentally crushing and inconveniencing the citizens who come to them for services.

Closing Thoughts

Since Sri Lanka is perpetually a developing third-world country, its future progress remains highly uncertain. If I were to say that Sri Lanka’s government employees and state institutions are like dens filled with extremely dangerous people, I wouldn’t be wrong. The railway transport sector in Sri Lanka is just another one of the country’s highly corrupt and dangerous government institutions, teeming with dishonest state workers.

If you need more references and ideas about this

1. Getting around Sri Lanka | How to get around in Sri Lanka | Rough Guides
2. How to Survive a Bus Ride in Sri Lanka. | by Dumindu Patabandi | Medium
3. 2019 railway strike in Sri Lanka - Wikipedia
4. Transportation in Sri Lanka and my experience with Sri Lanka by Car – Blonde around the World
5. Kelani Valley line - Wikipedia
6. Kelani Valley Line • Ceylon Guide

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