According to the Performance Report of Department of Railways 2018,the Sri Lanka railway department has grappled with manpower shortages during the year which have affected the railway’s operational activities.

According to the report, there are 20,443 approved vacancies in the Sri Lanka railways whereas the department has only 14,885 personnel, witnessing a shortage of 5,558 employees.

According to the report, 212 vacancies have been approved for executive staff, whereas the department has only 137 employees.

The employee shortage is particularly observed in the secondary staff, witnessing a shortage of 4,830.

In addition, 415 vacancies have been approved for tertiary staff, whereas the department has only 146 employees, while, 8601 vacancies have been approved for primary level staff whereas the department has only 8,217 employees.

Excerpt from the report:

It has to be faced some problems in providing daily services due to lack of employers in all sections.

As a whole, a large number of employees out of the permanent employees in the Railway Department resign on retirement or on any other reasons.

Lack of the employees in sections such as Railway maintenance,repairs, general administration, operations, track maintenance, maintenance and repairs in the signal & Telecommunication system effect to increase the overtime expenditure annually.