Railway station communications cut off over unpaid bills

Colombo, May 25 (Daily Mirror) - Public telephone lines at all railway stations across the country have been disconnected due to non-payment of bills, causing inconvenience to passengers and station staff.

The disruption has affected the ability of passengers to obtain train timetables and other essential information, with a large number of inquiries previously handled daily through station telephone services. Reports indicate that this is the first time in history that all railway station telephone lines have been disconnected due to unpaid bills.

Sources said the situation has arisen as no payments have been made since February, resulting in service disconnection at all stations.

It is also reported that administrative changes within the railway sector, including steps taken by the current General Manager of Railways appointed from outside the department, have contributed to operational disruptions. According to reports, the dissolution of an existing administrative office without a feasibility study and issues related to delegation of responsibilities have further aggravated the situation.

The service interruption has raised concerns over administrative efficiency within the Sri Lanka Railways system, particularly as station telephone lines play a key role in providing travel-related information to the public.