Sri Lanka’s deplorable Railway System
At a recent public meeting, the Hon. Minister in charge of Railways challenged that if he is unable to develop the railway he will resign. We hope it will not pave the way for him to go home after one year, if he fails to deliver the goods as Minister of Transport.
Every minister in all successive governments has been promising to improve the system, but it never happens. When a new minister is sworn in, the trade unions take him round to show the wanton wastage of the former government. The new minister promises to rectify all wrong doings and assures the public that, as the new minister he will improve and provide a better service. How many ministers have given this type of assurance?
All those running the railways are responsible for the present deterioration from labourer to the top administrator. The trade unions too, are responsible for inefficiency and corruption. The minister calls for public support to develop the system, the members of the trade unions, who promise the minister much needed cooperation, subsequently finds them in trade union action. The very membership of the trade unions are the king pins of corruption in the railway.
They turn a blind eye when valuable parts are pilfered from carriages parked in the yards. Vandalism like cutting of seat covers, removing of fans and other gadgets fixed to compartments are on the increase. The public witness these acts but never complain to the authorities, fearing reprisals.
Railway property has been encroached by people with political affiliations. All commuters who use the main line, the coastal line, the Puttalam line and the KV line will bear witness to these encroachments.
The railway tracks are totally neglected and no maintenance done. In the old days these tracks were well maintained and cleaned. The sides of the railway track had enough space to lay two or more tracks for development.
Untidy polluted railway stations appear to be like ruins of the past. Walls have never being colour washed. Roofs are leaking and platforms are ill lit. Furniture in the waiting rooms are decayed and broken. Platforms are never cleaned and maintained. Labourers have become masters and the masters have become labourers. In the past, railway stations were kept clean and tidy. Rows of beautiful flower plants pruned and well maintained. The carriages were clean and well illuminated. Destination boards were exhibited on the side of the carriages.
The Station Master neatly clad in spotless white uniform was always with a smiling face. The railway guard immaculately dressed in spotless white trouser and black serge coat. These were the good old days with no diesel engines and fast trains.
Today, we do not see any improvement, the staff is so impolite and shabbily dressed, railway compartments are never cleaned, the railway stations are like ruins, the hooligans and thugs who board trains are never disciplined. Railway security is so inefficient that, beggars and other elements are a nuisance to the train commuter. Today we have derailments, cancellations and trains not running to time, constant revision of time tables. When trains are terminated at Fort or Maradana, there are no connecting trains to destinations beyond. Office workers are invariably detained at these stations for want of a connection to destinations beyond Fort or Maradana.
Trains do not run to time and it is common knowledge that most trains are overcrowded. It is a sad sight to see school children who are unable to board crowded trains beg the guard to allow them to get into the guard van being blatantly refused. They have to take the next train and when they reach school they are late and punished by the school authorities for getting late through no fault of theirs.
When trains are overcrowded it takes time for passengers to board and get off, before they could do so, the train pulls. We have seen commuters getting injured in this exercise
We hope that the minister’s aspirations will be realised within the one year period, to rectify burning issues and give a better service to the public, then only we can congratulate him.
By Lenin Jayasinghe, Ihalakaragahamuna – Kadawatha
Source: The Nation
Tags: bribery and corruption, carriages, coastal line, commuters, encroachments, inefficiency, kelani valley line, king pins, maintenance, political affiliations, public witness, railway stations, railway track, reprisals, trade unions, vandalism, wastage
