By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
Railway trade unions yesterday alleged that the Indian train engines and power sets which had been imported to Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka Railways were not suitable for local rail tracks.
Ceylon Railway Employees' General Union Head S.P. Vithanage told The Sunday Morning that several parts of the recently imported train engine were not suitable for local rail tracks and as a result, the department had to change the parts in order to make it roadworthy.
According to Vithanage, the recently imported Indian-manufactured train engine was worth at around Rs. 750 million.
The department is also planning to bring down another 160 Indian-manufactured compartments of which the suitability had yet to be checked, he added.
Explaining the unsuitability of the train engine, the trade unionists said the weight of the train engine was around 120 tonnes and the length was 72 feet.
“The engine is more powerful than the existing train engine which is at about 3,500 horsepower and the train could run faster than the existing trains, but the problem is on Sri Lankan railway tracks, we can’t run at that speed,” he added.
“The Indian engine has an air brake system but since we have to climb mountains in Sri Lanka, we need a vacuum brake system,” he added.
“When we raised these issues, the officials claimed that since the engines were going to be imported under a credit line, they had to accept whatever engines were offered by the Indian manufacturer,” Vithanage said, adding that even though the engines were offered on credit, all Sri Lankans would have to pay the price, including those who never travel on trains.
However, State Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ashok Abeysinghe told The Sunday Morning that the Government had taken the decision to bring down Indian-manufactured power sets and engines in 2016 and it took around two years to come to Sri Lanka.
He said Government would continue with the deal and import another five Indian-manufactured power sets and 160 compartments this year.
“There is opposition by trade unionists, but we will continue with the deal,” he said.
“There might be parts that are not matched to the local rail tracks but India has offered us the opportunity to do the necessary changes. Therefore, it would not be an issue,” Minister Abeysinghe added.
Railway trade unions yesterday alleged that the Indian train engines and power sets which had been imported to Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka Railways were not suitable for local rail tracks.
Ceylon Railway Employees' General Union Head S.P. Vithanage told The Sunday Morning that several parts of the recently imported train engine were not suitable for local rail tracks and as a result, the department had to change the parts in order to make it roadworthy.
According to Vithanage, the recently imported Indian-manufactured train engine was worth at around Rs. 750 million.
The department is also planning to bring down another 160 Indian-manufactured compartments of which the suitability had yet to be checked, he added.
Explaining the unsuitability of the train engine, the trade unionists said the weight of the train engine was around 120 tonnes and the length was 72 feet.
“The engine is more powerful than the existing train engine which is at about 3,500 horsepower and the train could run faster than the existing trains, but the problem is on Sri Lankan railway tracks, we can’t run at that speed,” he added.
“The Indian engine has an air brake system but since we have to climb mountains in Sri Lanka, we need a vacuum brake system,” he added.
“When we raised these issues, the officials claimed that since the engines were going to be imported under a credit line, they had to accept whatever engines were offered by the Indian manufacturer,” Vithanage said, adding that even though the engines were offered on credit, all Sri Lankans would have to pay the price, including those who never travel on trains.
However, State Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ashok Abeysinghe told The Sunday Morning that the Government had taken the decision to bring down Indian-manufactured power sets and engines in 2016 and it took around two years to come to Sri Lanka.
He said Government would continue with the deal and import another five Indian-manufactured power sets and 160 compartments this year.
“There is opposition by trade unionists, but we will continue with the deal,” he said.
“There might be parts that are not matched to the local rail tracks but India has offered us the opportunity to do the necessary changes. Therefore, it would not be an issue,” Minister Abeysinghe added.