During the 1971 JVP insurrection helped maintain transport services handling train and bus services as the civil administration became crippled in many areas. The Light Aid Detachment(LAD) which was stationed in Modara was improved and converted to the 100 CEME Armoured Workshop and CEME began converting trucks into improvised armoured vehicles. After Sri Lanka became a republic in the year 1972 the British queens crown (Regalia) which adored every state symbol up to this time was replaced by the 'Dharmachakraya' symbol instead which included the CEME emblem and CEME was renamed into SLEME (Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).