Sept 13, Colombo: President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued a gazette notification declaring railway services as essential service with immediate effect under the Essential Public Service Act.

The President has issued the Extraordinary Gazette notification by the powers vested in him in accordance with the terms of Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979,

The President, considering that that the services provided by Department of Railways is "essential to the life of the community and is likely to be impeded or interrupted," declared the specified services to be an Essential Public Service.

Accordingly, Public transports services for passengers or goods, and the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by railway lines have been declared as essential services.

President Wickremesinghe’s declaration of Railways as an essential service comes in the wake of the sudden strike launched by the Railway Locomotive Operating Engineers’ Union Tuesday severely inconveniencing the commuting workers, students and public.

The strike is also blamed for the deaths of two persons including a university student who have fallen off of crowded trains and for injuries to another commuter.