News
Splendour outside the window, squalor inside
The first class observation compartment of the Badulla train is highly favoured for its panoramic views of the scenic beauty enroute.But its popularity is under threat. Passengers are taken by surprise by the poor state of the compartment, with seats falling apart, upholstery missing in parts, an unpleasant smell and unclean toilets.
Observation compartment had been used for more than 30 years. Pix by Athula Devapriya
Travellers complain they have to spend more than 10 hours in a poorly maintained compartment lacking proper lighting or air-conditioning despite seats having to be booked in advance at a higher rate. German resident Nelum Wijewardena, who was travelling with a family from Germany and had reserved seats in the observation compartment, was unhappy.
The carriage was dimly lit, there was no air-conditioner to prevent the passengers from perspiring and the fans were inadequate for good air flow and cooling, Mrs. Wijewardena said. “The Railways Department has not paid any attention of the wellbeing of commuters,” she said.
“It’s a shame I invited foreigners to travel with us. This train gives a bad impression of our country. The compartment has a bad aroma and the seats have torn cushions making them uncomfortable,” she said. German tourist Christian Weiss said he was appalled at the number of broken seats in the compartment.
Seats falling apart
Nelum Wijewardena
He said authorities should take responsibility for the service and always provide good transport if they charge extra for it.
The coach has 45 seats and the Railways Department charges Rs. 1,000 for each seat. “The seats are not well maintained at all. They have black stains on the backrest, some seats cannot be adjusted and others are in an unstable condition,” Mr. Weiss said. “It’s pretty hot here,” he added.
“Well, this is not the best train but I will overlook the status of our corroded, dampened and musky seat which has most of its padding torn out in order to let my wife and children enjoy the trip to Badulla,” the tourist said. Traveller Athula Jayantha said this had been one of the worst trips ever. This was the first time he travelled in the observation carriage and would be his last.
“I am 49 years old and I haven’t experienced such a train,” he said. “This has unclean seats with bad odours and bugs that bite from the moment I sat down. We need to take a tetanus shot before we get in this old compartment!” he said.
A guard serving on the train said after each trip passengers complained to him.
Christian Weiss
A railways official said that the observation compartment had been used for more than 30 years and was corroded in parts. Further maintenance and upgrade work was useless and it should be replaced or completely refurbished.“The knobs, rivets and screws which hold the seats in place are continuously tightened but after one journey they all loosen up, and some seats get worse after each ride,” the official, who asked for anonymity, said.
He said the department should stop wasting money repairing old compartments and instead purchase new observation compartments. The General Manager of the Railways Department, Vijaya Amaratunga admitted, the first class observation compartment lacked air-conditioning and had seats that were broken and needed cleaning but said repairs could not be carried out as the coach had bookings for the holiday season.
There were plans to remove the compartment from service in 45 days for a “full upgrade”, he said. Mr. Amaratunga said the department could not afford to purchase a new compartment. “A new compartment costs millions of dollars. The department cannot purchase a compartment right away. Therefore we will cancel the compartment for a short period and work on upgrades,” he said.
In that time no observation compartment would be available for travellers. The Commercial Superintendent of Sri Lanka Railways, G.W.S Sisira Kumara, acknowledged the observation carriage was old and needed repair but said this could not be done due to the lack of spare observatory compartments – there were only two observation compartments and both were in use, he said.
Locomotive Operating Engineers Union General Secretary K.A.U Konthesingha expressed concerns over passenger safety.
He said the state-owned wagons represented the state of the country and gave a bad impression to foreign travellers.