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by Ananda Kannangara

In a bid to eliminate frequent losses incurred by the Railway Department, Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie recently made a surprise visit last week to the Railway Workshop compound, Ratmalana to have an on the spot investigation into a large scale racket of lifting valuable parts and other accessories worth millions from railway engines and carriages, lying idle at the premises.

The details pertaining to the racket came to light during Minister Fowzie's short stay at the Workshop premises with some of his officials. According to investigations, it was revealed that some persons living in the area as well as various other organised gangs, roaming in close proximity to the Ratmalana Railway Workshop were in the habit of entering the Workshop premises after midnight by jumping over the high parapet wall and removing parts and other accessories of parked trains. The Minister also showed concern over a large number of train engines and carriages, lying idle for a considerable period of time.

Minister Fowzie was also informed by Workshop authorities that premises around these engines and carriages were overgrown with shrub during the past several years and no action had been taken by officials to clear the premises since then.

It has also been reported that the racket of lifting such state owned spare parts which are worth millions of rupees has been going on during the past several years.

Speaking to the "Sunday Observer", Minister Fowzie showed his displeasure over the pathetic situation happening at the Ratmalana Workshop and said that the negligence of the officers in charge had led to this nature of crimes.

"I have ordered the officials to clear the overgrown shrubs and deploy night patrols at the Workshop premises in order to prevent such occurrences in the future," he said.

Minister Fowzie also said that a large number of persons, involved in this racket were caught by the Railway security from time to time and nearly 400 cases are now pending at courts against the wrongdoers. Asked whether the Railway employees too were involved in the racket, the Minister said that it was a work of outsiders and not by the permanent workers in the department according to the information.

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