Rail schedules to be changed again

COLOMBO: Transport Minister A.H.M. Fowzie has requested the Government to set similar office hours for both the public and the private sectors to address anomalies in the revised railway timetables. Minister Fowzie told the Daily News that setting uniform office hours for the two sectors was essential to provide an efficient train service.

"Following my request, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed Labour Relations Minister Athauda Seneviratne to discuss with private sector employers the possibility of adopting office hours parallel to those of the public sector," the Minister said.

The Railways Department will revise train timetables again this week in the wake of numerous commuter complaints regarding the existing schedule.

Minister Fowzie said the revision will be effected only after considering the views and objections of commuter associations islandwide. The Transport Ministry revised railway timetables last month in line with the change in public sector office hours, causing great difficulties for private sector workers whose working hours remained unchanged.

Fowzie said the Ministry has received a large number of complaints from commuters in all parts of the country who have been inconvenienced by the revised timetables.