Signals turn red for train services today
Train services are expected to be disrupted today due to the ongoing trade union action by engine drivers and railway guards, Locomotive Operating Engineers Union said yesterday.
LOEU general secretary Mahinda Karunarathna said with 95 per cent of the engine drivers and railway guards numbering about 850 being out on strike, a total breakdown of services could be expected today — the busiest day of the week.
He vowed that the strike would continue until an amicable solution was found to their demands.
Meanwhile the public and commuters expressed their disgust at the railway authorities, the striking engine drivers and guards for disrupting the train services without any concern for those travelling by train.
UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayaka said the officials and striking employees must realize the plight of the commuters and reach a compromise to end the strike immediately without heaping further burdens on the commuters.
Today is the third day of the strike launched after railway authorities suspended the services of the engine driver, head guard and their two assistants in charge of the Kandy bound intercity train that rammed into the rear of the Colombo Fort — Polgahawela power set which had slowed down before entering the Ganemulla railway station on September 29, killing a commuter and injuring 29.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that the four employees were responsible for the disaster as they appeared to have ignored the signals and thereby led to the train accident.
Mr. Karunaratne said the strike launched from Friday midnight was to demand that the trains could not be operated until the faulty colour signal system was modernized and the four suspended employees reinstated.
Numerous attempts made by the Daily Mirror yesterday to contact Railway General Manager Lalithasiri Gunaruwan or Operations Manager Wijaya Smarasinghe ended in failure. It is obvious that the authorities had no answer to the strike or the sufferings of the train commuters. The office kept saying that the two officials were at a discussion and had to be contacted later but it appears that the hours of so called discussions did not bring any positive results.
“Minister Dulles Alahapperuma is trying to do something for the Railway service as he is a minister with a pragmatic approach to most issues. But the bureaucracy is scourge of the railway service. It is a pity that those who keep saying they know inside-out of the service really know nothing. What they know is how to destroy the railway service,”Mr. Karunaratna said.
By Sandun A Jayasekera
Source: The Dailymirror
