Yal Devi

Yal Devi (Tamil: யாழ் தேவி; Sinhala: යාල් දේවී) is a major express train in Sri Lanka.[2] Operated by Sri Lanka Railways, the Yal Devi connects Colombo, the nation's commercial hub, with the northern cities of Jaffna and Kankesanturai. From 1990 up to 2015, the service had to terminate at intermediate stations, due to the Sri Lankan civil war. The Northern Line was rebuilt and returned to Jaffna Railway Station by October 2014[3][4] and Kankesanturai by January 2015.[5]

Yal Devi
யாழ் தேவி
යාල් දේවී

Yal Devi Train At Kurunegala Railway Station
Overview
Service type	Express Train
Status	In service
Locale	Sri Lanka
First service	Approx 1956[1]
Last service	present
Current operator(s)	Sri Lanka Railways
Former operator(s)	Ceylon Government Railway
Route
Start	Colombo Fort
End	Kankesanturai
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	4001 (Colombo Fort-Omanthai) 4002 (Omanthai-Colombo Fort)[2]
Technical
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Route map Northern Line Kankesanthurai Maviddapuram Tellippalai Mallakam Chunnakam Inuvil Kondavil Kokuvil Jaffna Punkankulam Uppu Aru Lagoon Navatkuly Thachanthoppu Chavakachcheri Sankathanai Meesalai Kodikamam Mirusuvil Eluthumadduval Pallai Elephant Pass Chundikkulam Lagoon Paranthan Kilinochchi Murukandy Temple Murukandy Mankulam Puliyankulam Omanthai Thandikulam Vavuniya Iratperiyakulam Punewa Mannar Line to Talaimannar Medawachchiya Junction Medawachchiya Medagama Parasangahawewa Saliyapura Mihintale Branch Line to Mihintale Mihintale Junction Anuradhapura Anuradhapura New Town Malvathu River Sravasthipura Talawa Thambuttegama Senarathgama Galgamuwa Ambanpola Randenigama Maho Batticaloa Line to Batticaloa Maho Junction Thimbiriyagedara Nagollagama Hiriyala Ganewatta Deduru Oya Wellawa Mutttettugalla Kurunegala Nailiya Pothuhera Thallawattegedara Girambe Main Line to Badulla Polgahawela Junction Main Line to Colombo Fort

Services

The Yal Devi offers Four classes of travel.[2]

• 1st class observation saloon
• 2nd class.
• 3rd class typically gets very crowded and carries only basic facilities.

History

Though trains had been operating on the Northern Line since the beginning of the twentieth century, the services were not named. In the 1950s named trains were established on the major lines. The Yal Devi, as a named-express train, was established to connect Colombo, Jaffna, and Kankesanturai, as commissioned by B. D. Rampala, the railways' then-general manager.[1]

In 1990, the Yal Devi stopped operating past Vavuniya because of the declining security condition.[4]

After the war ended in 2009, work started to rebuild the track and restore the Yal Devi service to Kankesanturai,[6] under the Uthuru Mithuru Project. Initially, the service was extended to Thandikulam,[7] With effect from 13 October 2014 it has been begun services up to newly rebuilt Jaffna railway station after twenty four years. The restoration of northern railway tracks project has been funded by a line of credit provided by the Government of India.[8]

The Yal Devi service was ceremoniously declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa 13 October 2014.[9]

Route

The Yal Devi follows Sri Lanka Railways' Northern Line. The train begins its northbound journey at Colombo Fort.[10] At Polgahawela, the train branches off the Main Line, moving towards Kankesanturai. It passes Kurunegala, the capital of North Western Province, before continuing to the historic cultural and religious center of Anuradhapura, the island's ancient capital around the 4th century BCE and home to many sites of religious and archaeological interest. After passing Vavuniya it reaches Omanthai. As of September 2013 the service the train terminated at Kilinochchi.[11] The train used to continue onwards to Jaffna. Jaffna is the main cultural centre of the north of Sri Lanka. From here the Northern Line extended to Kankesanturai, a port city, with the Yal Devi train from Colombo terminating here. The entire re-construction of the Northern Line (from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai – 146 km) was completed during the latter half of 2014, and it was finally opened to public on 3 January 2015.[12]

See also

• Sri Lanka Railways
• List of named passenger trains of Sri Lanka

References

1. "The Island". Rampala regime in the local Railway History. 19 July 2010.
2. "Sri Lanka Railways Timetable"
3. "Sri Lanka's Colombo-Jaffna railway reopens". BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
4. "Dailynews". President requests patriotic citizens: Join us in building Northern rail track. 24 March 2009.
5. "Jaffna-KKS railway track roars again". Daily FT. 3 January 2015.
6. "ColomboPage". Northbound Sri Lanka train to extend to Thandikulam. 29 May 2009.
7. "ColomboPage". Train services for Northern Sri Lanka: Foundation stone laid for Omanthai rail station as Yal Dewi reaches Thandikulam. 27 May 2011.
8. "President ceremonially inaugurates Yal Devi train service"
9. http://www.colombopage.com/archive_14B/Oct13_1413188982CH.php
10. "A beginner's guide to Train travel in Sri Lanka . . ."
11. "Yal Devi reaches Kilinochchi"
12. "Sri Lanka Railways – The Northern Line"

External links

• Uthuru Mithuru: Rebuilding the Yal Devi Friendship Track