Union predicts fall of railway
The government’s failure to improve the Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) is likely to cripple the almost limping service, claims SLR employees.
Secretary, All Ceylon Railway Employees General Union, Sumathipala Manawadu is of view that unless the government initiates a programme to develop the railway service immediately the fall of the SLR is imminent.
“The Railway Department has to be upgraded in order to revive the country’s limping railway service. The present pathetic situation in the service has made commuters suffer immensely and if things are not changed the SLR’s days are numbered,” Manawadu said.
According to Manawadu, successive governments have failed to develop the SLR although promises were given but added that the present administration has brought the railway service to a pathetic situation.
“If this government wants to earn revenue from the SLR then the service should be upgraded. Without working for the development of the SLR, the government has negotiated to give on lease prime railway lands starting from the most valuable nine acre land at Dematagoda,” Manawadu told The Morning Leader.
Speaking further on the leasing of railway lands, Manawadu said that the nine acre land in the heart of Colombo adjoining the Dematagoda railway yard could have been used to construct a warehouse to stock concrete sleepers.
“Despite our strong protests, on the direction of President Mahinda Rajapakse this prime land was given for a housing project and now on the instructions of Railway Minister Dulles Alahapperuma all the prime lands along the coastal line up to Panadura are to be leased out,” Manawadu charged.
Source: The Morning Leader
Tags: coastal line, colombo, commuters, concrete sleepers, housing project, prime land, railway department, railway employees, railway services, railway yard
