News
Railway travails: Begging, vending to be banned
Beggars and vendors are to be prohibited from begging or selling anything on trains or in railway stations, mainly due to health reasons and the nuisance caused to commuters.
A spokesman for Railway security said lightning raids would be carried out from this week to arrest such persons on charges of violating the Railway Ordinance.Nihal Bandula Wijeratne, the officer in charge of Railway Security at the bustling Maradana station, said that twice-monthly raids had started last year but had not been successful because they were not sustained due to lack of security staff.
“We nabbed and sent many of the beggars to the camp at Ridigama but they kept coming back. Many commuters have complained that they are exposed to beggars with open wounds or infectious diseases and were being virtually forced to give some money. The worst affected are foreign tourists,” the security officer said.
Mr. Wijeratne said their operations would be more successful if station masters, engine drivers, guards and other Railway workers cooperated by preventing beggars and vendors from entering stations or trains.
He also disclosed there was an alarming increase in the number of drug addicts and sex workers roaming around railways stations.
The Sunday Times spoke to some commuters on the woes they suffer while travelling on trains.
A common sight at the Fort Railway Station. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Ceramic Company employee M.F.M Sadiq (58) said he had been a railway commuter for about 50 years and he regularly saw unclean beggars pushing through crowded trains and yelling for money.
He said most passengers were virtually forced to give money to these beggars who kept on pestering them with sob stories.
Mr. Sadiq also said some vendors turned the trains into virtual market places by yelling for the sale of their items.
Another regular commuter, Janath weerakody, said women and children were more vulnerable to the beggars who harassed them by using various pressure tactics.
While some beggars carried children apparently to win more sympathy, commuters also face dangers from drug addicts, pick pockets and even mentally disturbed people.
Bank employee Lakshman Wickramaarachchi said that it appeared that most beggars earned more than the commuters. He said most beggars did need help but there should be a method to control them.
Commuter Nadika Karunarathna was not so sympathetic. She said most beggars told lies and even stole things from commuters and she believed the Railways should ban begging on trains or stations.
Commuter P.G Piyadarshani said some beggars turned violent when they were not given money or were unsatisfied with the amount given.
D.A. Nilmini who was takes her son to school by train said children were regularly exposed to diseases because of beggars.
Portraying another side of this crisis, a visually handicapped man who gets some money by singing in office trains said this was his only means of survival.
“If the Government has a proper social welfare programme we will not need to beg to make a living. I think it is inhuman to harass or prosecute physically disabled people who beg for a living,” he added.
But a Railway officials said that if beggars were caught in the act, they would be taken to courts where a fine would be imposed.
Locomotive Operating Engineers Union (LOEU) General Secretary K.A.U. Konthasinghe said if commuters were harassed, they could complain to the driver or the guard.He said every engine driver was responsible for the safety of the passengers and any beggar or vendor who harassed commuters would be dealt with.
He said begging must not be allowed on trains even if the beggars have a ticket.
Another Railway official said the former government had allowed uniformed “Divinaguma vendors” to sell their goods inside railway stations. He said they would be given identity cards for the sales work but other vendors would be prosecuted.