Sri Lanka’s authorities has deployed military troops at railroad stations as railway staff continued with their strike
ByBHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Related Press
September 13, 2023, 9:00 AM
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s authorities deployed military troops at railroad stations as railway staff continued with their strike that paralyzed prepare providers throughout the nation for a second day Wednesday, a day after two passengers had been killed whereas trying to journey on a packed prepare.
Tens of hundreds of passengers have been vastly inconvenienced due to the strike. A whole bunch of scheduled prepare journeys had been canceled on each days and just a few trains operated.
Passengers had been seen risking their lives to get to high school and work on the few trains that had been working, Some folks had been seen touring on the roof of prepare compartments, and plenty of had been seen barely hanging on to the footboards whereas braving rain.
Two passengers had been killed whereas touring on packed trains on Tuesday. One was killed when his head hit an overhead railway bridge when he was touring on the roof of a compartment whereas the opposite succumbed to accidents after he fell down from the prepare’s footboard.
The strike was launched by the Sri Lanka Locomotive Working Engineers Union, which incorporates engine drivers. They’re demanding that authorities resolve quite a lot of points, together with the recruitments course of and promotions.
Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena condemned the strike and the commerce union, saying the union launched the strike in an arbitrary method when the federal government had taken steps to carry discussions to resolve the problems. He described the commerce union as a terrorist group and mentioned the union was accountable for the 2 deaths.
Commerce union activist S.R. Senanayake urged the federal government to take swift measures to supply options to the calls for put ahead by them, warning that the strike might proceed.
Sri Lanka’s prepare providers are substandard, with poorly maintained compartments and tracks due to years of mismanagement and an absence of correct planning. Frequent and sudden strikes have exacerbated the scenario, with most trains experiencing delays.
Army spokesman Brig. Ravi Herath mentioned armed troops had been deployed “to supply safety for the general public, railway passengers, staff of the railway and likewise to guard the federal government property.”