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 city of Jaffna and its port at Kankesanturai, where the service terminates. 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
Termini	Mount Lavinia Kankesanturai
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	4077 (Colombo Fort-Kankasanthurai) 4078 (Kankesanturai-Colombo Fort)[2]
On-board services
Class(es)	1st, 2nd, 3rd Classes
Seating arrangements	Available
Sleeping arrangements	Not Available
Observation facilities	Not Available
Technical
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Operating speed	120km/h
Route map v t e Northern Line Legend 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 Ariviya Nagar Murukandy Mankulam Puliyankulam Omanthai Thandikulam Vavuniya Eratperiyakulam Poonewa Mannar Line to Talaimannar Medawachchiya Junction Medawachchiya Junction Siyambalagahawewa Medagama Parasangahawewa Saliyapura Mihintale Ashokapura Samagipura Branch Line to Mihintale Mihintale Junction Anuradhapura Anuradhapura New Town Malvathu River Sravasthipura Talawa Thambuttegama Kala Oya Senarathgama Galgamuwa Ambanpola Randenigama Maho Junction Batticaloa Line to Batticaloa Maho Junction Thimbiriyagedara Nagollagama Hiriyala Kimbulwana Oya Ganewatta Deduru Oya Pinnagolla Wellawa Mutttettugalla  E04  Central Expressway Kurunegala  E04  Central Expressway Nailiya Maguru Oya Pothuhera Thallawattegedara Girambe Main Line to Badulla Polgahawela Junction Main Line to Colombo Fort

Services

The Yal Devi offers three classes of travel.^[2] First class second class, and the crowded and basic third class.

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 from the 4th century BCE and home to many sites of religious and archaeological interest. After passing Vavuniya it reaches Omanthai. The train passes through Kilinochchi and continues to Jaffna. The Northern Line has been extended to Kankesanturai, its terminus and the northernmost railway station in Sri Lanka. 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 opened to public on 3 January 2015.^[11]

See also

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