News
Railway crippled by legacy issues, but short-term solutions in play
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Two weeks ago, station masters carried out a token strike resulting in cancellation of eight night-mail trains. The union action was called over delays in implementing grade promotions, delays in appointment of new officers and Public Services Commission approval for their service ordinance.
The most recent incident occurred last Sunday evening where 38 trains were cancelled after more than 20 train engine drivers reported sick causing commuter outrage. Engine drivers called for their working conditions to improve to provide a better service.
The President of the Locomotive Operating Engineers Union (LOEU), K.A.U Konthasinghe, said shortcomings of infrastructure, the railway time table and other issues of railway operations are exposed when a shortage of engine drivers persist.
The trains on the track remained stationary as engine drivers were on sick leave: Pix by Akila Jayawardena
He accused authorities of negligence of railway authorities and policy makers.
“There had been no recruitment of new engine drivers from 2017 onwards, even though engine operators retire, there had not been new additions to the service during following years therefore it had led to the current situation,” he remarked.
Mr Konthasinghe said training engine drivers takes three years.
Apart from that, the Sunday Times learned that Sri Lanka railways which require 21,000 staff, operate with only 15,000, and need 6,000 employees.
According to senior officials, the railways operates with 275 engine drivers and approval was granted to recruit 192 engine drivers. Besides, there is a requirement to recruit 136 railway guards. The railways also suffers from a serious shortage of technical officers — 3,000 needed, but only 1,900 available.
However 400 technical officers have been recruited. The Station Masters Association was among the multitude of unions that made demands on cadre shortages.
The President of the Railways Station masters union, Sumedha Somaratne said a response is awaited from the authorities.
The station masters will wait until Tuesday, June 3 to obtain a response from the public services commission, and warned that they would call for union action if their demands were not met.
Mr Somaratne said substation masters are employed under contract basis therefore they are not considered railway staff employees, and that should be changed.
Apart from that, the station masters do not have enough minor staff or infrastructure, and there are accommodation issues.
The General Manager of Railways, Dammika Jayasundara, believes the railways can overcome long-standing issues gradually. He admitted the crisis was caused by legacy issues.
Passengers, including foreign tourists, were inconvenienced by the absence of engine drivers to operate the trains
Mr Jayasundara said 192 engine drivers are to be recruited, and already, apart from that, 200 supervisory managers will be recruited to supervise the track and train sets as well as the signalling maintenance.
“As training takes three years, the ministry has approved recruiting retiring engine drivers on contract until the new batch of drivers are properly trained,” GMR remarked.
The railways is also planning to use a simulation system integrated for driver training.
| Railyard visit to see wasteful expenditure
Members of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) visited the Ratmalana Railway maintenance yard last week. The Chairman of the Committee, lawmaker Aravinda Senerath, State Minister Sugath Thilakaratne, MPs Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, Oshani Umanga, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law T.K. Jayasundara, Susantha Kumara Nawarathna, and (Dr.) Janaka Senarathna had taken part in the visit. During the COPA meeting on May 9 to discuss the Auditor General’s Report for 2023 and the current performance of the Department of Railways, it was revealed 63 railway engines and 40 power sets had been idling in the premises of the Main Mechanical Engineering Office and railway stations in Ratmalana for up upto eight years. Apart from that, it was revealed that machinery and workshops under railways were underused.
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| Ageing trains to be removed The GMR also pointed out that the railways department’s oldest operational train engine “M-2 engine”, is over 60 years old, and most of the engines are over 40 years old. Aged trains have to be removed, and the fleet has to be less than 20 years old. He said that as Sri Lanka obtains train engines, compartments and power sets via credit lines, there are limits imposed on specifications of trains acquired, yet in the future, Sri Lankan railways would consider new ways to get trains under a uniform specification. He said there are plans to import
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