Permanent gates installed parallel to temporary gates

by Ranil Wijayapala

The installation of permanent gates, bell and lights at unsafe level crossings across the country is now under way parallel to the program initiated by the Police to install temporary gates at unsafe crossings, General Manager of Railways B.A.P. Ariyaratne told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said more than 90 percent of unsafe rail crossings have been provided with temporary gates under the program launched by the Police Department and the Railway Department is providing training for those assigned to man the gates.

He said that the Department is going ahead to install 45 gates at unsafe level crossings and contracts have been awarded to install bell and lights at 30 unsafe level crossings.

“By the end of this year we could install 100 permanent gates at unsafe crossings and the tender procedure is now under way to select contractors to install 200 gates under the next stage”, he said.