Trains to Thandikulam by April 23
In a bid to forge communal amity between North and the South, the Government will extend the Northern railway line devastated by the terrorists from Vavuniya to Thandikulam by April 23 which marks the completion of 53 years since the inception of the Yaldevi train service to Jaffna, said Transport Minister Dullas Allahapperuma.
The Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has entrusted the Transport Ministry and the Railways Department with the task of rebuilding the Northern railway line from Vavuniya to Jaffna with the support of public and private sector employees and the ordinary masses.
The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the second driving and road safety instructor training program conducted by the Institute of Human Resources Advancement, Colombo University yesterday.
The institute yesterday extended financial assistance for the reconstruction of the Northern railway line initiated by the Ministry.
The cheque in this respect was handed over to the Minister by Institute Director Prof Hiriburegama.
Minister Alahapperuma said road accidents are causing more deaths than acts of terrorism as one person dies every four hours in Sri Lanka due to accidents.
“The impact of the alarming increase in the numbers of accidents was such that Rs. 14.7 billion out of the Gross National Production is spent for road accident victims a year.
More than 500,000 people were admitted to hospitals in 2006. Over 2,220 people were killed and 18,000 permanently disabled due to accidents last year, the Minister said.
The Minister said that 21 per cent of drivers who met with accidents last year did not have driving licences while 35 per cent forwarded forged medical certificates to obtain driving licences.
Only 10.1 per cent of the total humber of accidents are reported to the authorities. Many accidents are not reported to the authorities as the victims do not like to get caught in the cumbersome legal process.
“This situation can be averted if proper guidance is given to the drivers and driving instructors.
Road accidents can be minimised if all stakeholders in the transport sector and the general public discharge their responsibility to society, the Minister added.
The Minister commended the services of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Colombo University in particular for the introduction of this study course to upgrade the standard of driving and road safety practices in Sri Lanka.
UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake also spoke.
by Chaminda Perera
Source: DailyNews
