Opinion – Railways General Manager
May I refer to Tilak Fernando’s letter on Sri Lanka Railway (DN Sept. 28) where he states “Why doesn’t the GMR just walk a few hundred metres along the rail line towards the Regal Theatre and may be beyond…” and also “authorities responsible rarely if not, never travel by train but in the luxury of air conditioned cars”.
In the wake of these allegations may I pen the profile of the Railway GM, Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan. He is a son of a Sinhalese School Master (whom we called ‘Maha Kalu Sinhalaya’) who later became the Head Master in a school at Panadura.
The little Gunaruwan Fernando attended Sri Sumangala College, Panadura from his home at Nalluruwa on the pillion of his father’s push bicycle. He later entered Colombo University from where he passed out BSc with Honours.
Thereafter he worked at Eastern University, Vantharammoolai and then at Sampath Bank. He obtained his Doctorate from AIT, Thailand (if my memory serves correct).
Gunaruwan is a son of the soil, the love for the country and its people runs in his veins. He was one of the persons who was instrumental in organising centenary celebrations of ‘Panadura Waadaya’ few years back. He has dropped the Fernando part in his name, so he is now Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan.
He still travels by the push bicycle when he comes to Panadura bazaar. He was travelling by train from Panadura to his office in Colombo and he was a humble train traveller when he became the Railway GM.
But he is no match to B.D. Rampala, the Sri Lanka Railway God Father who reigned railway in a different era. Dr Gunaruwan has taken over the railway, now a festering wound and a dying institution and is trying his best to resurrect it.
Everyone should support him and rally round him, all employees, passengers and the unions. He cannot do it overnight. Those employees who idle, waste railway resources, oppose reforms must leave. Suggestions and criticisms are most welcome, because it is our railway. My heart goes out to the rural poor who patronise the railway.
On their behalf we all must try to make the railway an institution which is efficient and runs trains on time. Then more people will patronise it and it will earn a profit. Begin with the office trains, let those be never late. The marketing motto should be ‘Sri Lanka Railway, we are sharp on time’. Next step would be clean trains and beautiful stations.
Reduce the costs of outstation running by utilising cost efficient small rail-buses. Emphasis must be laid on goods transportation and also few premium fare comfortable long distance express trains with observation compartments should be introduced to Badulla to attract holiday crowds.
All these are easy to tell. I believe people will not grumble a marginal rise in fares if trains are not late. Considering that people do not mind paying for three wheelers without any grouse, why not for train travel. May the ‘Yakada Yaka’ prosper.
By JAYANTHA SAMARASINGHE, Ethul Kotte
Source: Daily News
Tags: doctorate, gmr, honours, match, pillion, poo, railway, veins
