Student invents signal equipment

by Ananda KANNANGARA

ananda@sundayobserver.lk

A new signal equipment to avoid train-vehicle collisions at railway crossings has been invented by a student of De Mazenod College, Kandana.

The student, Amila Randika Aberatna last week met Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma to demonstrate his invention.

While appreciating the efforts of the student to produce a useful equipment, the Minister told the Sunday Observer that he would help the student to develop the product for the use of vehicle owners.

When the security signal equipment is installed on a vehicle, it emits signals to warn the driver and other occupants about an approaching train within a radius of 400 meters.

Another equipment, a signal transmitter can also be installed to trains to indicate vehicles about the train in the vicinity.

Railway gatekeepers can receive warning signals from the on coming trains.

When a senior Transport Ministry official was told that a large number of unprotected railway crossings and the Railway Department has failed to install electric or bamboo gates, he said that it is the responsibility of the local authorities to install gates.

"If the Department constructs new railway lines across highways, then it is its responsibility to install gates at level crossings," he said.