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Another rail horror: Parents killed as child waits in school
By Sachitra Mahendra
One month after the Alawwa rail crossing horror, a businessman and his wife were killed yesterday at an unprotected and unmanned level crossing in Kandana when their car hit a train — the eighth at the same level crossing, Police said.

The father and mother were killed on the spot when they were on their way to pick up their four-year-old son from an elocution class nearby. The car was dragged for about 200 metres after being hit by the Bandageniya-Maradana train around 8.30 a.m., eyewitnesses said.

The two victims were identified as Jagath Talawitiyagmaralalage (38) and his wife Priyanthi (35). The wife was employed at Star Garments while the husband ran a press at home.

The unmanned level crossing has a history of seven accidents including a school van, two three-wheelers, a motor bike and a push bike causing either serious injuries or deaths.

Residents say that according to the location vehicle drivers are forced to drive very close to the track to observe whether trains are approaching. In the aftermath of the latest tragedy, Railway Chief Priyal Silva said the root cause of accidents at unprotected level crossings was the ignorance of road users. "Many pedestrians and drivers are in too much of a hurry to get across and ignore the warning signs displayed by the Railway," he said.

The General Manager cited lack of funds as the main reason why the Railway could not put up protective barriers at more crossings. He said the installation of barriers for a double track crossing would cost Rs. 3 million and a single crossing two million rupees plus wages for the gatekeeper. Mr. Silva said the Railway had been seeking more funds for the past ten years but the money was not available.

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