Cabinet approval has been granted to implement the project to initiate the generation of electricity via rooftop solar panels at railway stations as a public-private partnership project.
According to the government, there are more than 300 stations owned by Sri Lanka Railways and it has been identified as appropriate to initiate the project for electricity generation via solar panels on the roofs of railway stations.
As such, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport and Highways to take the necessary steps to implement the said projects as a public-private partnership project.
Addressing the media today, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardena said the government will call for expressions of interest for public-private partnerships for the project to be implemented in railway stations islandwide.
He further said as areas in the north and east, and also to the south in Hambanthota receive a lot of sunlight it would be advantageous for the Railways if a profit could be made with solar panels on the roofs of stations.
Stating that the Cabinet approved his proposal to call for tenders for public-private partnerships, he said previous expressions of interest will be disregarded and new ones will be called instead.
The measure is seen as part of the state-owned Sri Lanka Railways exploration of new avenues to boost its revenue. (Newswire)