B. D. Rampala - an engineer par excellence
Jiffry Farzandh Publicity Officer – IESL
History is replete with initiatives of lone individuals that
revolutionized the way people live. Civilization itself is a cumulative
result of initiatives of such individuals who had the courage and
perseverance to see their convictions through. One such individual is B.
D. Rampala who became the first native chief mechanical engineer in
1949, of the then Ceylon Government Railways and went on to become the
General Manager during the period 1955 - 1970, in what is now Sri Lanka
Railways.
Globally, since it was introduced as a means of transport in the UK
in the early 19th century, rail transport has been adapted by many
countries and the technology developed to maintain its position as the
foremost means of mass transportation overland. Today the steam
locomotive is all but obsolete and has been over taken by diesel,
electric and maglev locomotives, in that order of increased
technological sophistication, attaining phenomenal speeds, fuel
efficiency and passenger comfort that people are no more confined to
smaller locales in their daily routines.
Strict discipline
Eng. B D Rampala |
The reduced travel times has made possible travel on daily basis from
farther distances to work in cities, schooling from home, routine
shopping and even, more frequent, cross border travel to visit parents
and relations.
In Sri Lanka steam locomotives made their debut in the 1860's at the
behest of British colonialist tea and coffee growers unable to cope with
transport demands of their increasing export trade. The ‘Anguru Kaka
Wathura Bibi Duwana Yakada Yaka' as the natives of that time called it
aptly described its size and voracious appetite for coal and water while
belching smoke with its characteristic hissing noise. It reigned supreme
for almost a century, but then mankind was impatient for ever better
comforts and quicker pace of life. Sri Lankans were no exceptions and as
fate would have it, a son of the soil, B. D. Rampala took up the reins
of the railways of the country and delivered on them. Much have been
written of this doyen of Sri Lanka Railways and the strict discipline
with which he managed.
Transportation systems
The short period within which he transformed the railways in the
country to suit the times is etched in the history of local railways as
its golden era. The dieselization of locomotives, introduction of
centrally controlled electronic colour light signal system, launching of
express train services under different names, providing better station
facilities, etc. were all done in that period. In short he did what was
necessary in his time so that the country and its people enjoyed the
fruits of global developments in this field of that time.
A natural question that arises in this context is how have the
country's railways fared since B. D. Rampala handed over the reins in
1970. Has it kept pace with global trends and infused new technology to
the sector as had many progressive countries done bringing improved
transportation systems to their masses. Our big neighbour India is
already building on the success of its Kolkatta and Delhi Metros to have
new Metros in its other states like Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore etc.
Bangladesh, a developing country too has already drawn up plans for its
own Metro rails. Countries in the west are of course far ahead as are
Japan, South Korea. China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia etc. in providing
the modern conveniences of rail travel to their people. Railways in
those countries are carrying a significant proportion of the total
passenger load.
In Sri Lanka, originally seen as a means primarily for freight, it
became popular for its commuter functions, surpassing the latter at some
stage to reach a peak. But thereafter there has been a steady decline,
losing much of its passenger share to road transport due to reasons like
travel time, reliability, comfort etc. Currently only 7 percent of the
daily passenger load of the country is retained by the railways.
Human resources
The almost three decades of terrorism, up to the mid 2009, also took
its toll, both on the rolling stock and infrastructure of the railways.
It is true that the government purchased new rolling stock from time to
time in the past but this was not sufficient to arrest the decline. A 10
year railway development strategy ordering new Diesel Multiple Units to
replace the old diesel locomotives, upgrading the Southern railway track
after the damage due to the 2004 Tsunami and rebuilding the Northern
line destroyed by war is now being implemented by the government. It is
also extending the Southern line from Matara to Kataragama, However
isn't the zest and revolutionary thinking and steering of the sector
that B. D. Rampala amply demonstrated in his time missing in the mere
repair, restoration and extending of the existing and by now very old
system despite its well known limitations . If not what is holding us
back!
Analysts have shown the economics of transforming the system from
diesel locomotives to electric locomotives by way of the savings to be
had from the fuel and maintenance costs alone. Benefits to be had from
electrification would set off the new investments necessary, not to
mention the additional benefits of reduced pollution, passenger comfort
and the more productive use of human resources through reduced travel
time. More importantly the reduced travel time and improved passenger
comfort could increase the commuter percentage of the railways helping
reduce the road transport congestion to a great extent.
In 1997/98 the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, the apex
corporate body of engineers in the country submitted its recommendations
for electrification of at least the most used sections in the suburbs of
the country's railways. Cabinet approval too was granted and the
implementing company was also to be set up before interest on it waned
for reasons not clear. Subsequently the Institution of Engineers, Sri
Lanka submitted a new proposal in August 2008 for electrification of
that section of the railways between Panadura and Veyangoda as the most
used by commuters. The IESL has revived its proposals as recently as
2010.
It is under such a background that the engineering fraternity,
particularly the railway engineers, would be commemorating their great
mentor, B. D. Rampala's memory aptly with a memorial lecture on the
theme ‘An engineering perspective of the past, present and future of
Railways’ to be delivered by Eng. (Prof.) Amal Kumarage tomorrow
(December 20 from 1715 hrs, at the Wimalasurendra Auditorium of the
Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), at 120/15 Wijerama Mawaha,
Colombo 07 which will be open to the public. |