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Selfie ‘death-traps’ on the upcountry railway need addressing, say tourist guides
View(s):Pix and text by Palitha Ariyawansa
Tourist guides operating upcountry have urged railway authorities to create a safer environment for tourists travelling there by train.
Tourists fascinated by the scenery hanging out of footboards or leaning out of windows to capture videos or pictures have become a common sight. Many of them are unaware of the dangers ahead of them as rocks protruding towards the rail track or trees leaning towards the track are very common.
Though most locals are familar with such obstacles, foreigners, many of them through ignorance of the dangers, take sometimes fatal risks capturing pictures and videos.
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- Common sight: Hanging out of footboards or leaning out of windows
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- Many foreigners are unaware of the danger of protruding rocks and other obstacles
Last week Russian tourist Persinoma Olga (50) hanging out of a train hit a pillar between Badulla and Hali –Ela and succumbed to her injuries.
However there are no clear warning signs of such dangerous locations including tunnels.
Roshan Chaminda (25), a tour guide, said that one of the dangers the foreigners face was the rocks and earth banks.
He cautioned that railway authorities should create a safe environemnt for passengers.
K.A. Rasika Priyadharshana added that videos and pictures depicting tourists hanging out of trains go viral worldwide and in turn there are many looking to capture similar pictures.
He said that foreigners are unaware of the risks, and it is up to the railway authorities to remove such obstacles.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association’s Assistant Secretary and Senior Medical Officer at the Badulla hospital Dr Palitha Rajapaksa said that most who meet with accidents on the Badulla railway line are brought to their hospital and some of them succumb to their injuries while some become permanently disabled.
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