What ails the Ceylon Government Railway?
Never a day passes without some incident in the railways – derailments, delays, strikes, etc. To get to the root cause, it is best to go back to the era of the legendary B. D. Rampala and before, when the trains ran to time and derailments, accidents were very very rare.
The derailments are mainly due to poor maintenance of the track. In those days, the district engineer, inspector of permanent way & foreman platelayers did regular checks on foot, on the foot-plate of engines and re-railing re-sleepering programmes were carried out as programmed. The ordinary platelayers were well disciplined and carried out their work diligently. In fact, the Kangany of a gang took his job as a challenge against the other Kanganies to keep his section in trim condition. Some even planted flowering plants along the track and ballasting was done as and when needed. The foreman platelayer commands respect and thereby the workers were disciplined. This is not seen now. One wonders whether re-sleepering and re-railing programmes are carried out according to a programme or done in an ad hoc manner as the need arises. Perhaps not, due to the high prices for new rails and sleepers.
Then comes the train delays. During Rampala’s time it is said that every train delay had to be brought to his notice and he took decisions depending on the cause of the delay. No one dared to resort to strike action. If the delay of a train was due to negligence of the driver or the Way & Works Department, inclusive of the Signals Department, a fair inquiry was held and punishment meted out. Today strikes are sponsored by politicians as Trade Unions have become a tool in their hands.
Today we see and hear of station masters on strike. In the good old days, the Station Master was a well respected man in the town he served. He stood abreast with the D.M.O., Police Inspector, Postmaster and high government officials.
Most of all the General Manager was one who rose from within the department and who knew the working of the department intimately. Outsiders who came in to hold this post on political backing were clueless as to how the department was run and the thinking of Railway employees. Perhaps, when reference was made to a ‘Fishplate,’ he may think that it was fish served on a plate or a ‘Dog Spike’ a part of a dog’s anatomy.
The Mechanical Division of the department, had efficient men of the calibre of Rajagopal who succeeded Mr. Rampala and they correctly advised on the purchase of locomotives and carriages to suit our track. Today the selection is influenced by the minister or a politician as seen in the recent past purchases, which have been found unsuitable.
The main reason seems to be wrong recruitment from top to bottom, political interference. With this mess who suffers? The poor commuter, who in utter desperation and anger, assaults the Station Master and stone the train.
“Guard”
Source: The Island
Tags: accidents, aid, assault, carriages, derailment, employee, locomotive, locomotives, maintenance, negligence, plan, poor maintenance, railway employees, railways, recruitment, sleepers, station masters, strike, strikes, trade union, trade unions, train delays, trains
