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| Thursday, 18 November 2004 |
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Railways Dept. to confine level crossing barriers to essential cases by Rajmi Manatunga The Railways Department has decided to confine its sanction for new barriers at level crossings to essential cases in the future, despite the increasing number of accidents at level crossings. Railways Manager Operations P. Chandratilleke told the Daily News that such a restriction was the only solution for the problem at present since the Railways Department could not bear the cost of fixing barriers at all level crossings in the country. "There are around 940 railway level crossings islandwide of which the majority (over 700) are unprotected. The Department does not have adequate funds to provide barriers for all these crossings," he said. Chandratilleke further said that allowing level crossings at places unconducive for such crossings has also largely contributed to the recent rail tragedies. "Politicians and various other organisations have got into the habit of compelling the Department to recommend level crossings for their convenience. As a result many level crossings so declared do not fulfil the technical requirements," he said. A series of fatal accidents were reported at railway level crossings recently, the latest being last week's tragedy in Wadduwa where a Colombo bound train crashed into a motorcar killing two. The Department has also decided to ask private institutions to maintain level crossings by fixing barriers since the number of level crossing barriers the authorities are able to fix annually barely exceeds 40. Protection at railway level crossings in Sri Lanka is provided either by erecting barriers with labourers to operate them or setting up electric warning systems. The latter system, though more effective has been introduced only at a few level crossings owing to its heavy costs. |
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