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LECO, Railway Dept play blame game while powerless crossings become deathtraps
View(s):Lanka Electricity Co. (Pvt) Ltd blames the Sri Lanka Railway for events leading to the disconnection of electricity supplies to the signal system at the Magalkanda, Ambanpalla, Maggona crossing. The disconnection of supplies caused serious concern among the public, as there were a couple of instances where accidents were narrowly averted. The Sunday Times published related pictures in its issues of September 20 and 27.
LECO General Manager H.N. Gunasekara referring to stories of LECO’s attempts LECO to collect the arrears without disconnecting supply, became futile, as the Railway Authorities did not show any interest in settling the accumulated arrears.
He said LECO was compelled to recover its dues without becoming a burden to the State.
“In the absence of responses to the disconnection notices repeatedly sent through monthly bills, our Kalutara Branch Manager has sent a special reminder to Inspector-Signal of Railway Dept, for even which LECO has not received a response,” he said.
“In addition, Railway Authorities have not given any consideration to the verbal requests made by LECO’s Customer Service Superintendent Payagla. Even after disconnection, no responsible officer requested time for payment. If there was such a request, LECO would have reconnected the supply, pending payments,” he added.
However, the Railway Department’s Signal and Telecommunication Inspector of Kalutara, M.A.U. Kulasinghe yesterday said that the LECO’s electricity bills predating December 2014 were not correctly sent to the southern Kalutara Railway Station. Therefore, the bills have been misplaced.
“Earlier, bills were sent to an unmanned station and thereafter to the Railway Dept, then to the Payagala and Beruwala stations, and to the Transport ministry as well,” he said. As the bills were not paid, the villagers collected money and paid the arrears last week, after a string of near-accidents were averted at this crossing.
Villagers have blamed both, the LECO and the Railway Dept for failure to give consideration to the possibility of accidents taking place without the signalling system. The villagers say they are now in a dilemma again, as the LECO has now warned that electricity supplies will be disconnected again if the July and August bills amounting to Rs 2,220 are not settled.