No tickets available for Up-country trains
I wanted to take my family by train to Kandy last year in December, but was told when I arrived at the station that all tickets had been sold out.
So, this year, I asked a travel agent to get me the tickets and was informed by them that they would have to send a person as early as 2.00 a.m. to queue up as there was a great demand for tickets ,especially in December.
I didn’t understand this. So I managed to contact the Railway Information Office after repeated calls as the line was continuously engaged for hours, but finally I was informed that the great demand for tickets was from government servants who have free tickets to travel First Class by train, upcountry, during the season with their families.
I am sure this is a reward for the hard work they do. This has been the practice since colonial times. It’s time the government put a stop to this.
No wonder the railway is running at a loss!
Anyway, the travel agency is sending a person at 2.00 a.m. to queue for our tickets. Only in Sri Lanka will a situation like this arise.
What about the Sri Lankan who cannot afford to go through a travel agency?
How can we solve this?
Have more trains.
Restrict the number of free tickets available for the day for government servants.
I hope this letter will catch the eyes of the Railways General Manager and the Minister of Transport.
By Sapramadu
Source: The Island
Tags: booking queue, government servants, kandy, railway information, railway reservation, travel agency, upcountry line, warrants
