COLOMBO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has launched the "Dream Destination" project to renovate 100 railway stations around the country, the President's Media Division (PMD) said in a statement on Saturday.

The project was launched during a ceremony on Friday evening, which was attended by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the PMD said, adding that the Road Safety Action Plan 2025-2026 was formally presented to Dissanayake by transport minister Bimal Ratnayake during the event.

This project aims to create a clean and attractive railway station network that ensures the safety and comfort of all passengers, including those with special needs, the PMD said.

Rathnayake said that traffic congestion results in an estimated annual loss of 2 to 3 percent of the country's GDP, adding that strengthening public transport has become an urgent necessity.

The minister said his ministry plans to propose the construction of new railway lines in the next budget and will improve infrastructure to support cargo transportation via rail. ■