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Local engineers don’t need foreign assistance: Ex-GM Railways
Local engineers are capable of installing Signals on the Matara-Beliatta line, a former General Manager of Railways (GMR) said this week, critical of the Transport Ministry’s decision to award a US$ 15 million (Rs 2.2 billion) project to a Chinese company.
The Ministry has selected China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CNMIEC) for the job, despite the Railway Dept’s engineers offering to install signals in the four stations on the new Matara-Beliatta line, for Rs 250 million. Tenders were not called and the basis on which the project cost of US$ 15 million was placed, is not known.
“It is my opinion that we could save much foreign exchange if we made such installations with local expertise,” said retired GMR and Past President- Sri Lanka Institution of Engineers, Priyal de Silva. “Even maintenance can be attended to by railway officials with minimum foreign exchange for procurement of spare parts. In the event of any further extensions of lines in the network, the question of compatibility with the existing system will not arise, if installation is done locally.”
The Railway Dept’s Signals & Telecommunications branch had offered, in writing, to install Signals on the new line for a fraction of the amount the Ministry now intends to spend. The Dept recently Signaled the Narahenpita railway station on the Kelani Valley line. Railway engineers replaced the old system with a modern, user-friendly one, and expect to do the same for all railway stations up to Kottawa, by year end.
The Signals branch’s proposal was circulated among relevant officials. It was even briefly accepted by the ministry last year. However, when a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) was sought to take it further, the initiative died a natural death.
Engineers of the Railways Dept have been installing Signals from as far back as 1964, Mr de Silva pointed out. In 1998, two projects of double tracking–Panadura to Wadduwa, and Polgahawela to Rambukkana–were implemented by Sri Lanka Railways, using skills within the Dept. The extension of the colour light Signalling system in these two sections was carried out by Railway engineers without foreign assistance.
In 2003, with the completion of the double track between Ragama and Ja Ela on the Puttalam line, and Wadduwa to Kalutara North on the coastal line, Railway engineers set up the colour light systems for the two sections without outside intervention. “Thus, the Railways installed the colour light system on their own, from Panadura to Kalutara North,” Mr de Silva says.
In 2007, with the high intensity of trains between Peradeniya and Kandy, a colour light system was installed by Railway officials without outside assistance. Recently, the system was extended from Maradana to Narahenpita, using one of the most modern technologies, also by Railway engineers.
“It is clear that, Railway officials possess the necessary skills and are confident they have the ability to install the colour light system in any new line construction, provided the necessary material and equipment are procured,” he said.
“That is how the Railway Technology and Human Resources should grow and contribute towards national development, and how policymakers should make use of the Railway system and skills for national development through saving scarce capital resources, stimulating the economic multiplier effect,” Mr de Silva asserts.
(See also ST2)