Transport woes of Matara passengers
Ever since the CGR suspended operations from Matara to Galle
involving renovation of the track, it has been a case of utter chaos and
pandemonium at Matara especially in the early mornings. The situation is
calamitous on Mondays. It is still worse during inclement weather.
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Public transport needs an overhaul. File photo |
Private bus operators take the law unto themselves. What prevails is
the law of the jungle. There are no properly organized queues as the
buses do not start off from the assigned bus stand but completely
outside it. They start in the open air in front of the statue facing the
main road. If the weather gods decide to prove their worth and skill and
cause a downpour the passengers are bound to have a good ducking. Around
3.30 a.m. passengers congregate into a mass and rush in at the approach
of a bus.
This is a disturbing situation as feminine weaklings are reluctantly
compelled to keep standing at times right up to their destination as the
condition demands. The problem is compounded especially on Mondays as
those persons employed in Colombo travel back after the weekend. At
times fully loaded buses are evacuated stating that still another bus
would ply instead. Just imagine the confusion and the desperate plight
of unfortunate passengers in such a situation.
By force of such unforeseen circumstances passengers are compelled to
gird themselves up due to no fault of them. We hope that of the Private
Bus Owners’ Association (PBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne will look into
this matter and grant relief to the hapless travelling public sooner
than later.
The State transport sector also has a duty by the public.
Unfortunately CTB buses do not operate at all during this time of the
day. Why? They also should expand their fleet of buses to cater to the
crying needs of the public having prepared a time schedule from around 3
a.m. The CTB should introduce a regulatory and supervisory team to
ensure that buses ply accordingly and maintain the smooth functioning
thereby. Supervisory officers could be detailed on a roster with the
usual number of hours per day. It is certainly up to the CTB Chairman to
retrieve its tarnished image which neglects its duties with brazen
impunity.
The PBOA President and CTB Chairman should put their heads together
and obviate the transport woes of the Colombo bound Matara passengers at
least till the CGR resumes its operations after the reconstruction of
the railway track. It is up to Transport Minister Kumara Welgama to give
this matter the thought and attention it merits and act with assertive
response. I wish to conclude quoting the famous saying by Burke - “All
it takes for evil to flourish is for Good Men to do nothing.”
Nanda Nanayakkara - Matara |
