Commuters had to pay for Ministry’s failure
Secretary, All Ceylon Railway Employees General Union (ACREGU) Sumathipala Manawadu told The Morning Leader that the Railway Ministry’s failure to provide protection to train commuters led to the latest disaster on Monday that claimed nine lives.
“Subsequent to the February 3 suicide bomb attack at the Fort Railway Station that killed 14 and injured more than 100, railway commuters requested Railway Minister Dulles Alahapperuma to provide adequate security to commuters and the stations especially Fort and Maradana,” Sumathipala added.
Sumathipala further stated that the Organisation for Protection of the Properties and the Rights of Railway Employees (OPPRRE) had on January 16, requested Minister Alahapperuma and the Railway Department to introduce a proper security system for the railway to ensure the safety of railway property and passengers. But the authorities concerned have failed to strengthen security at major railway stations, he charged.
“Following the bomb explosion at the Fort Station on February 3, trade unions urged Minister Alahapperuma and the General Manager Railway, Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan to ensure the safety of three and a half to four lakhs of railway commuters who come to Colombo everyday from various parts of the country. It is the Railway Minister’s duty to strengthen security at railway stations and to protect its property, and the lives of commuters against possible terrorist attacks since the railway has become a prime target of the LTTE terrorists which has been proved time and again,” said Manawadu.
Manawadu told The Morning Leader that although SLR’s own security and security forces personnel provide security at the Fort and Maradana stations it is still inadequate as most of the trains that reach the Fort Railway Station stop near the kovil between Maradana and Fort. “There could be a security breach at such points,” added Manawadu.
“The authorities’ lethargy resulted in the latest bomb attack at the Dehiwala station killing innocent civilians including a pregnant mother,” charged Manawadu.
Source: The Morning Leader
Tags: bomb attack, commuters, disaster, maradana, railway department, railway employees, railway minister, railway station, railway stations, security, security breach, suicide bomb attack, trade unions
