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Rays123
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 351
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19 Dec 2006 15:01:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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There is a lot of traffic in Galle road and the best way to reduce it, is to implement a good railway system.
People reluctant to use the available train service, since the service is unpredictable and always late, The main reason for this delay is lack of double line along the railway track.
It is better to have double line to Matara and attract more passengers to the service than extension of the line to Kataragama.
Sri lankan policy makers are dumbed, what I heard was, the new railway line only have single line. Even in this time they have never considered the future. |
Ruchira
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1936
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19 Dec 2006 15:34:37 GMT Report for Abuse
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Railways were built by British only for THEIR interests, to rob Sri lanka's richness more quickly like in India!
Did they take those railways with them? |
Vishnu
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 938
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19 Dec 2006 23:39:49 GMT Report for Abuse
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Rays,
I have first hand experience.
The trains of course are late in the souther coastal line, but the number of passengers were never low. One could not get a seat in the second class, especially on Mondays and Fridays. There was a time the bus fares are twice the amount of train fare, things were horrible at that time. Families traveling together, despite the delays and all, tend to travel by train.
Shakthi,
You may be right with everything else, but you are showing who you are by claiming an authority would make the railway profitable. Railway need not be profitable, it is a service provided by the government. Having said that, there should be no room for corruption, which is the real problem. Changing it to an Authority, or selling in to an Indian company would not solve the problem. British have a 'very good' experience in privatizing the railway. The leader of the party, which you are serving for, do a lot of traveling overseas, could not have missed it. |
Mucha-linda
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2619
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19 Dec 2006 23:55:38 GMT Report for Abuse
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MAGHA,
I agree that the chances of averting that tragedy would have remained same, even if they managed to contact the engine driver.
There was an interview with the Guard of that illfated train few weeks after the tragedy. He gave a detailed account of the incidents that took place on that fateful day. I cannot remember exact details. However, he too have said something about that stop signal.
What appeared was there was a procedural failure which prevented the train being stopped at Ambalangoda station. We cannot blame any individuals for that, even though we are good at that.
I am not sure that there is no way of communication with the engine drivers on a running train in Sri Lankan railway system.
I know, it is hard to believe. Unfortunately it seems to be the case.
Any way you may agree that the chronic problems in CGR as well as in other government depts are not due to Mahinda Chinthanya.
Correct. Those problems were there even before Mahinda Chinthanaya. However, the point is Mahinda Chinthanaya has no viable plan to overcome these chronic inefficiencies (even though seting up an Authority will never solve the problem). Do not misunderstand me. I am not trying to be a smart ar*e by criticizing everything, as if I have draft solution to all the problems.
As such, I still see a point in Shakti's. Expanding the current railway network is not going to solve any of those existing problems.
-Mucha
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Mucha-linda
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2619
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19 Dec 2006 23:56:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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KURAL,
Railways were built by British only for THEIR interests, to rob Sri lanka's richness more quickly like in India!
Absolutely correct. But we cannot help any slaves who admire their masters for giving them chains at no cost.
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Edited By - Mucha-linda - 19 Dec 2006 23:59:14 GM |
Rays123
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 351
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20 Dec 2006 01:35:13 GMT Report for Abuse
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Visnu
One could not get a seat in the second class, especially on Mondays and Fridays
You are right. I was a regular passenger of the southern coastal railway line. They only allocate two second class compartments to the express trains and it is due to the lack of length in Galle railway station's platform.
Also, you can find lots of 3 class ticket holders travel in 2 class compartments without considering the laws of the train service.
' Bappala paninne kalathurakin' |
Shakti
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2691
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20 Dec 2006 02:17:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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There is a limit to say 'moda katha'. It would be very good if people dont talk about things they know nothing about.
Railways were built by British only for THEIR interests, to rob Sri lanka's richness more quickly like in India!
Only half truth.
British built only the Up country line to serve their interests. The Southern lines (to Matara and Puttalum) and the Northern lines (to Kankasanturai, Batticaloa, Trinco etc) were not built in the interest of the British. None of the destinations (with the possible exception of Trinco) was trade centres. What benefit British gain by connecting these non trade centres to Colombo?
If people who say such 'moda katha' dig the history a bit before saying things like this they will find the Northern lines were built purely as the result of the sheer pressure put by the then Tamil representative to the State Council. (Sorry, cant remember the name. Navaratnam or somebody) That has nothing to do with British.
I agree that the chances of averting that tragedy would have remained same, even if they managed to contact the engine driver.
This is an even more 'moda kathawa'. If the driver had a mobile, the train would have been stopped even BEFORE it would have reached the Ambalangoda station. Yes, the train was eventually stopped by a signal, after failing to contact it at Ambalangoda station, but the point here is CGR is so poor, that it still cannot afford a mobile phone to an engine driver. (something which I think an essential.)
Setting up an authority per se will not solve the problem, but the whole objective of setting up an authority to make the railway more productive and reliable. That cannot ever be done within the current department structure.
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Shakti
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20 Dec 2006 02:29:51 GMT Report for Abuse
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Any way you may agree that the chronic problems in CGR as well as in other government depts are not due to Mahinda Chinthanya.
Nobody said the chronic problems of the CGR is due to Mahinda Chinthanaya.
I said 'MODA CHINTHANAYA' ruined the plan of setting up an authority for the railway and restructuring the department to a self sustainable one.
If somebody assumes MAHINDA CHINTHANAYA = MODA CHINTHANAYA, I have nothing against that, but when I wrote 'Moda Chinthanaya' the people I had in mind were Priyal De Silva ex-General Manager of CGR and his henchmen (unfortunately engineers) who completely ruined the plan.
(I told this to the face of the ex-GM at the X-Mas party of the Institution of Engineers)
I cannot understand how come private entity is corrupted. There is very less room for corruption in a private entity. It is the state entities that are corrupted.
Take Peoples Bank (a state entity) and Sampath Bank (a private entity) Which gives a better service to the public? Which is more corrupted?
Whether authority or not, the only way to salvage the CGR is to restructure it completely introducing drastic changes (some might not be popular) and yes, perhaps making it a public private partnership. Otherwise even if we make rail rods to moon it will remain a dinosaur, a huge burden to the people.
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magha
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4130
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20 Dec 2006 04:14:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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However, the point is Mahinda Chinthanaya has no viable plan to overcome these chronic inefficiencies (even though seting up an Authority will never solve the problem)
Sure , if we believe that Mahinda CHintanaya is the key to solving every chronic problem then it is a joke. It should be taken as a starting point and developed with various inputs. The country as a whole need to contribute to modernize our way of thinking. In an already corrupt system it is a humongous task the same as Russia. What the country needs is constructive criticism and not sabotage. I agree expanding the Railway to Kataragama does not improve the quality of the service. Do trade unions improve quality of services in any dept? Could genuine politics please the nation? It is impossible since the person who is genuine will not survive in Politics nor he could do any service. It is the educated class of the country needs to push the politicians to do the right thing but they are also being bought by various elements including NGO's. |
Shakti
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2691
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20 Dec 2006 04:24:18 GMT Report for Abuse
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It is the educated class of the country needs to push the politicians to do the right thing but they are also being bought by various elements including NGO's.
A very interesting conclusion.
The country is corrupted and the railway system does not work all because of Kumar Rupasinghe and his NGO.
So NGOs are the root of all evil. Even when GOs do not work and GOs are corrupted it is the fault of the NGOs.
Someone is having very serious hallucinations.
If there are no good mental institutions in Europe, he should be immedialy brought back home to be admitted to Angoda.
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Edited By - Shakti - 20 Dec 2006 04:31:00 GMT |
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