Train commuters hard-hit

Dharma Sri Abeyratne and Chaminda perera

The train commuters inconvenienced following heavy torrential rains experienced in many parts of the country during the last few days.

Trains on the main line from Colombo to Kandy were delayed for hours due to the bad weather.

Only one railway track was operative as two railway tracks out of three were inundated. The railway tracks from Hunupitiya to Ragama were under water while one track was merely operated. All trains use the same line.

Thousands of train commuters including office employees had to wait hours in trains near Walpola Railway Station. Many trains were stopped on the same line for two to three hours until the signal were given to move forward.

Anxious late for work were seeing consuming their lunch inside trains while a greater number decided to go back home. Even when one railway track was in operation trains were delayed for many hours. Commuters pointed out that the lethargic attitude of Railway Department officials was the main cause for such delays. Officials in the Control Room have to take timely and qualitative steps to mitigate the delay, commuters said.

A Railway Department official said the main cause for the delay was due to signal failure. When railway track is inundated signal failures occur, he said. Meanwhile Railways Department yesterday said the train service on the main line and the coastal line would be delayed due to the bad weather conditions prevailing in the country for the past four days.

According to a Department’s spokesman, the train services on the main line were disrupted yesterday too as the Ragama station came under water. He said the railway track in the Ragama station is under water and trains are moving slowly via the Ragama station. ”The delay in Ragama has disrupted the entire train service on the main line and this situation will prevail until water level starts receding,” he added.