News
Work-to-rule or sabotage?
View(s):Rail transport is the fastest mode of land transportation and plays a vital function in our daily lives.
Text and pix by Ishanka Sunimal
However recently, punctuality of trains has reached major crisis proportions.
The worst affected are passengers from distant areas, who depend on the rail network to get and from their destinations.
The work-to-rule campaign launched by the railway trade unions -including guards, station masters and other categories of railway workers- at midnight on the September 20 resulted in tense situations arising at the Fort and Maradana railway stations.
All the ticketing counters were closed during the campaign. Some trains were arbitrarily cancelled, others were delayed by 3 to four hours, while yet others were halted mid-journey due to ‘signal failure’.
Commuters however believe the signal failure was caused by trade union members sabotaging the system.
Worse was to follow, despite the work-to rule campaign ending on Friday night, on Saturday morning trains on the main line malfunctioned due to ‘signal failure’ at the Dematagoda and Kelaniya railway stations.
Despite the work-to-rule’ campaign being called off, on Saturday morning the fort station saw hardly any trains running
While passengers await trains were seen idling at platforms
Passengers crowd round a guard trying to get information as to where this train was heading
A mother and child await their train
Who is this person? a tired passenger? a ticket checker? or a man awaiting his train?