Steps to rationalise travelling to face fuel crisis

We all know that if there is an efficient and secure public transport system most high and middle income earners will not resort to private transport when travelling to office and school which creates traffic congestions

About an year ago, the President made a clarion call to public sector employees to leave behind the 2 year ‘Covid’ related setbacks and get ready to work with renewed energy, under ‘New- Normals’. Now, in the face of the aggravating fuel crisis adding insult to injury, the President has stressed on the need to make the Transport system more effective. Since it will take a considerable length of time to overcome the disastrous economic effects of the ‘Covid’ and the ‘Dollar’ crisis, it is imperative that we find long-term solutions to make people stronger in facing the difficult periods ahead. We all know, if there is an efficient and secure public transport system, sans overloading and delays, most high and middle income earners will not resort to private transport when travelling to office and school creating traffic congestion. In this regard, about one year ago, the writer listed a few measures to rationalise public travelling in such a way that life becomes easier and more productive for Office workers and School children whilst reducing the incidence of ‘Community Transmission’ via public transport between Districts/Provinces.

Implement flexi-hours for both Public and private sector workers. This step too will reduce rush hour traffic, ‘over-loading’ and traffic congestion resulting in fuel saving, better Time Management and higher productivity

My suggested steps towards meeting the said ends were published in the press and copies were repeatedly sent to the Political and other concerned authorities last year. Since the ‘Dollar Crisis’ has now triggered a massive fuel scarcity, I wish to reiterate the following long-term, simple, cost saving, steps for implementation as practically as possible, after explaining to and convincing the respective Trade Unions, Employers, school authorities  and the Parents of the dire long-term need for adopting ‘New-Normals’ in Office and Schooling life styles.

 Office Workers
1)   As far as possible, assign them to Offices/Factories located closest to their Residences within the District/Province. The transfer policies have to be duly amended if necessary. The resulting, reduction in inter- District /Province travel will reduce traffic congestion and overloading while making ‘Contact tracing’ and monitoring easier for mitigating the incidence of ‘Community-transmission’. 

2)    Implement flexi-hours for both Public and private sector workers. This step too will reduce rush hour traffic, ‘over-loading’ and traffic congestion resulting in fuel saving, better Time Management and higher productivity. 

3)   Expand current arrangements for ‘Working from Home’ by embracing technology and giving targets/ assignments etc. (The present arrangement for workers to report for work on alternate days or four days a week can be continued as desirable.) These steps again will improve productivity of staff while reducing over-loading and traffic congestion. We must not forget that Sri Lanka’s burgeoning Public sector exceeding 1.4 million employees, works out to 01 employee per 15 people in a total population estimated at 21.5 Mln. It is learnt that in many other countries the corresponding figure is 01 employee per 250 people !

4) Make Train/Bus Season tickets available on- line. 

5) Factories/Public/Private sector Institutions can be induced with incentives to provide Van/Bus transport to their employees wherever possible. 

 School Children
1)   The elusive policy requirement to send children to schools in their locality, if strictly implemented will surely ease traffic congestion on the main roads. However, with the steep rise in ‘School Van’ fares, the parents will now think twice. 
2)   The schools also should adjust their opening times in keeping with the Flexi-Office hours of the Public/Private Sector in the areas.

Let us make full use of these ‘blessings in disguise’ that have come to our door step, in the guise of the ‘Corona Pandemic’ and the ‘Dollar crisis’. The writer is confident that the authorities would implement these important measures effectively to eliminate fuel queues, Lock-downs and Curfews and improve our Security, productivity and discipline leading to a prosperous Sri Lanka. 
(The writer can be reached at jbvfernando@yahoo.com)