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Restored compartments back on track today: GMR

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31 March 2018 05:45 am - 14     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The first batch of nine restored Romanian compartments will be put on track this morning on a special train from Colombo Fort to Ragama, Railways General Manager Mahanama Abeywickrama said.

“The first batch of the completed compartments will be put on track to Ragama today under the patronage of Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and the Deputy Minister Ashoka Abeysinghe,” he said. “A total of 200 compartments are being repaired and restored under a joint project between a private company and the Railways Department.”

Mr. Abeywickrama said the Romanian coaches were imported between 1990 and 1992 and that most of the coaches were more than 26 years old with many passengers complaining to the Railways Department that they were not suitable for travelling. “The important parts of a compartment are the technical parts such as the braking system, which is more important for the safety of the commuters. Only the technical parts of a compartment are handled by the Railways Department technicians,” he said. “Each compartment is being repaired at a cost of Rs.10 to 15 million." (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)


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  Comments - 14

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  • sacre blieu Saturday, 31 March 2018 09:44 AM

    They should be congratulated, although repair and maintenance is part of the responsibilities of the department. At a certain time in 50's and 60' the workshop st Ratmalana was considered as one of the best in the east and could turn out any part. Sadly, political interference brought it down to a scrapyard status. There is also an old steam engine somewhere along the Fort/Maradana area which has gathered layers of dust and may the only one remaining, and this should be restored like some which are on display in certain stations, before it is sold as scrap.

    Mandayan Saturday, 31 March 2018 10:07 AM

    Is 1990-92 correct? May be the last batch. The first batch were imported by MH Mohammad, transport minister of JR J government of 1977. He then tried to setup a factory headed by his son to build similar compartments with government loans but without success. No one told us if the load repaid or not.

    neil Saturday, 31 March 2018 10:24 AM

    Why railway waiting till people say they are not suitable. railway is billion or trillion Rupee with enterprise. Do not they have Asset management plans (AMP) for rolling stock, track and signals. AMP should identify conditions; useful life replace refurbishment time and investment. Whether money is available or not. Big enterprises should run in mattured manner not in reactive manner.

    Unchikun Saturday, 31 March 2018 10:48 AM

    These Romanian coaches are of very high quality and arguably the best in the world. The last Chinese and Indian coaches are rusting and the interiors in a very poor state. This is partly due to the uncivilized used by the patriotic Sri Lanka commuters.

    Sithara Buddhini Saturday, 31 March 2018 11:27 AM

    I'm really gald to here this news. I thought to comment here to mention what i recently experienced in a train. We headed to Trincomalee by 9.30 pm night mail train from pettah on 11th of march,2018. We traveled 3rd class. On the way, the compartment where we were sitting was getting stink with ugly smell of cockroaches. To avoid this unpleasant experience we booked tickets of 3rd class. Even though there was an empire of cockroaches at the corner of the compartment. If this were experienced by a visitor what's the message they got ? As an undergraduate of Transport and Logistics Management at University of Moratuwa according to my point of view we are loosing our tourism by this kind of minor errors. If we can change those, the message they pass to their nations will be a better positive thought than this. Thank you.

    neil Saturday, 31 March 2018 06:30 PM

    Can a responsible person from Railway reply to this please? Of course what they are going to do in future as well.

    rajitha7 Saturday, 31 March 2018 12:05 PM

    Even the new carriages imported during Rajapaske time are not being maintained. The automatic doors are permanently open In some carriages. Come to think of it even the airport is the same. Things are falling apart due to lack of proper maintenance procedures.

    lanka Sunday, 01 April 2018 10:08 AM

    Age of the carriages does not matter. All that matters is maintenance. Do you know that coaches in London underground are all from early 1970s.

    hans perlee Saturday, 31 March 2018 12:10 PM

    complain, complain, complain. Let's say that the compartments we have now are good for traveling. What a joke.Looking at the coaches we have now, i think, they date back to the british time and no complaints about that?????

    dickie bird Saturday, 31 March 2018 12:27 PM

    Is Siripala awake now? All these years he should have done so much yet he was asleep.Its a pity, he appears to have woken up late in the twilight years of his political career.

    Dhaya Saturday, 31 March 2018 02:00 PM

    Great, using local expertise saves our finance reserves and jobs for locals.

    Thinker Saturday, 31 March 2018 04:28 PM

    There are thousands of unemployed youngsters in the North. I am sure request to open up a railway yard with Indian help to repair the rolling stock will bear fruits. Mithran

    Unthinking Sunday, 01 April 2018 07:38 PM

    Open a repair yard in the North with Indian help eh!How much is in it for the Minister and Wigi ing the North? . Oncevthst is known we can talk about opening the yard and filling it with peons.

    Reconciliation Monday, 02 April 2018 10:59 AM

    Unthinking - so what is reconciliation ? You are a down bottom racist .


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