Railways to be made profitable

By Ananda KANNANGARA

The Railways General Manager A. G. Mahanama said the objective of the Railway Department is to provide a service to the nation and not to make profits. However, revenue generation was also important to cover up expenses. The Department expects to deploy additional train carriages for foreign and local tour groups and also to strengthen cargo transportation services for revenue generation.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Railways General Manager A. G. Mahanama said that tourist arrivals from foreign countries have significantly increased with the dawn of peace. The majority of foreign tour groups prefer to travel in trains.

"In order to fulfil their requirements we have planned to allocate separate train carriages for their use.

In addition, local tour groups also wish to have their long distance journeys from Colombo to Northern, Eastern, Southern and up country areas by separate train carriages, hired by the Railway Department for tour groups.

"I think if additional carriages are deployed for the benefit of foreign and local tour groups, the Department could easily cover up the losses incurred at present", said Mahanama.

General Manager Railways A. G. Mahanama.

Commercial Superintendent, Railways Wijaya Samarasinghe.

He said that steps have already been initiated to upgrade cargo transportation services as a large number of persons are now in the habit of sending cargo by rail.

The Department expects to increase the number of cargo trains to transport cement, rice and fish from Southern and Northern provinces and also vegetables from up country to Colombo.

He said that if the Railways need to earn profits other than from tour groups and cargo transportation, then it has to increase the price of season tickets and also increase the train fare on par with other transport services.

"But, we have no intention of increasing train fares and put the burden on over 300,000 commuters who travel in trains everyday,".

He said the Sri Lankan Railways which commenced its first journey from Colombo to Ambepussa in 1864, presently owns over 100 locomotive trains and 45 power sets in addition to other trains.

Some 300 passenger trains and cargo trains ply throughout the country everyday.

During the colonial era when the Railways were under the British rule, the then Ceylon Government Railways constructed tracks only up to main cities and continued its non profit making service.

They earned a little profit by transporting agricultural products to Colombo from distant areas.The present fleet of 100 locomotive engines and 45 power sets are not sufficient to cater to the needs of the increasing numbers of commuters.

"Therefore we have decided to import another 33 new power sets at a cost of Rs. 300 million each and train carriages at a cost of Rs. 35 million each on the directive of Transport Minister Kumara Welgama,".

Mahanama said renovating Railway stations, clearing overgrown railway yards, demolishing unnecessary buildings and parapet walls that are on either side of rail tracks and also providing waiting room facilities for commuters are also very important at this juncture. The General Manager also said the present 17,000 workforce will be increased in the coming months.

The new 33 power sets will be imported from India and China and the first consignment will arrive shortly.

"The new trains will be deployed during morning and evening peak hours, so that carriages will not be overcrowded and even passengers will not have to travel on footboard as at present".

According to a recent survey, over 300,000 passengers use train services daily. An increasing number of schoolchildren and university students also use trains as their mode of transport.

Speed levels

Commenting on the speed level of trains, Railways Commercial Superintendent Wijaya Samarasinghe said a special plan has already been drawn to increase the existing 80 mph speed level of all trains up to 120 mph.

The Railway track from Galle to Matara has already been completed to run trains at a high speed. Other tracks including the recently broadguaged Kelani Valley track will also be reconstructed to run trains at a high speed.

Asked about the delay of re-commencing the `Yal Devi' train from Colombo to Kankasanturai via Jaffna, he assured that the first phase of the Northern Railway track from Vavuniya to Omanathai has already commenced and the next phase of the 96 Kilometre track between Omanthai to Palavi with Indian assistance and the third phase from Palavi to Kankasanturai via Jaffna will be completed within 30 months.

"After completing this track, more cargo carriages will be added to the `Yal Devi' train to enable traders to transport agricultural products and fish from Jaffna to Colombo,".

"After commencing the Northern bound train, we expect more local and foreign tour groups to Jaffna by train".

Samarasinghe also spoke of losses incurred by the Department due to ticketless travel and also small scale robberies that take place inside trains and at Railway yards.

However, he said there is a drop in offences inside trains due to heavy security by the Department to crack down errant passengers who travel without tickets, travelling in second class using a third class ticket and travelling beyond the destination mentioned in the ticket.

Meanwhile, we have also strengthened the security at Railway yards and also at night trains to arrest persons, involved in robberies.

When asked about the position of the large number of unprotected railway crossings, Samarasinghe said that nearly 700 unprotected Railway crossings have been identified all over the country.

"We have taken a decision to provide an `automatic warning systems' as well as gates with security guards to such railway crossings in the next few months,".

"Meanwhile, unprotected railway crossings will also be provided with man-operated bamboo gates,".

He also said that steps were taken to complete the Matara- Karatagama track under three phases and the first phase of Matara- Beliatta, the second and third phases between Beliatta to Hambantota and Hmabantota to Kataragama will be completed shortly.

He said all discarded trains lying at railway yards are sold to the public every year following tender procedures.