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| Sunday, 15 January 2006 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Railway
probes continuous thefts
by Ananda Kannangara The continuous theft of vital parts inside railway compartments, including overhead racks, fans, tube lights and sheet covers, is now being investigated by the Railway higher authorities on a directive of Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Railway security division, it has been revealed that the continuous theft of valuable parts of railway compartments has resulted in a loss of millions of rupees to the Department. The investigation also indicates that removing the parts in compartments are mostly being reported from short distance night trains leaving Colombo and also the trains reaching the Fort Station or the Maradana Railway yard from outstations. It is said that in some instances no passengers travel in night trains. Minister Fowzie told the Sunday Observer that to stop this nature of incidents, additional security must be deployed in the night trains, so that the thefts inside trains could be completely eliminated. He said during a surprise visit he made to the Ratmalana railway yard recently it was brought to his attention that not only parts inside the train compartments, but also valuable spare parts are being removed by people living in the area. "I have already directed the officials to deploy additional security and I have heard that my attempt was successful," he said. He said this nature of incidents are hardly reported from Maradana Railway Yard where a large number of passenger trains are parked due to the high security provided day and night. He said nearly 400 people were caught by the Railway security and court cases are pending against them. "However I have instructed my officials to keep a close tab on this matter and deploy additional security where necessary," |
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