December 15, Colombo (LNW): The reconstruction of railway infrastructure damaged by the recent disaster is expected to require an investment of around US$ 400 million, according to Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabhat Chandrakeerthy.
He said the extent of destruction to rail tracks and related facilities means that full restoration will be a lengthy process, with work needing to be carried out in stages across multiple affected areas.
Providing an update on the health sector, Chandrakeerthy noted that close to 90 per cent of the 236 medical institutions impacted by the disaster have already resumed operations. Temporary arrangements have been made for facilities such as Spring Valley and Kandegedara hospitals, which have been relocated to alternate premises.
He added that Mahiyanganaya and Chilaw hospitals, both of which suffered extensive damage, have now returned to normal service delivery. However, the disaster caused serious losses to medical equipment, including high-value items such as CT scanners, which were badly damaged and will take time and significant resources to replace.
Authorities say recovery efforts remain ongoing, with priority being given to restoring essential transport and health services while longer-term reconstruction plans are finalised.
