Will Sri Lanka Railways be restructured ?

15 October 2022 07:53 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 25 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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The Transport Ministry has initiated a discussion on the need to restructure the Department of Railways to make it a commercially viable venture, a Minister said .

The Department sustains an operational loss of Rs. 10 billion annually. Minister Bandula Gunawardane told Daily Mirror that its organisational structure as a government department blurs commercial viability.“in 2021, the Department earned only Rs.2.6 billion. However, as much as

Rs. 2.3 billion had been spent on overtime payments alone. For the payment of salaries, Rs. 7 billion had been spent.

It is run at a huge operational loss. We should figure out a proper structure to improve commercial viability. If it is run as a statutory board, we can make some decisions,” he said. Currently, there are 8,000 vacancies in the Department with 1,000 of them being in the essential categories such as railway guards, engine drivers and station masters.

The Minister said expansion of weekend special train services had been hampered due to lack of railway guards.

Comments - 25

Tissa Fernando Saturday, 15 October 2022 08:07 AM

You need to hand it over to Japan like Sri Lanka Telecom some time back. At that time, getting a telephone was a nightmare. Now see. A lot of jobs , improved service. Overall we gained. As long as you give into these trade union assholes the taxpayers of this country will have to foot the bill. If you even talk about privatisation, the trade unions backed by bankrupt political parties will stage massive protests but we got to do what we got to do for the benefit of larger group.

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Citizen k Saturday, 15 October 2022 08:34 AM

Along with the vocational training center,why not train youngsters over 18 in the required vacancies.Already we are heavily burdened with taxes and many thousands travel by train so it should be subsidized by the government.If there funds to appoint ministers means the money can be used to benefit thousands not a few.Their bellies are already in convex shape whereas the the common man has a concave shape.

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Jude Saturday, 15 October 2022 08:42 AM

First we need to restructure the political system in SL!! Biggest change Must be reducing parliament members to ONE HUNDRED!! SCRAP PROVINCIAL COUNCILS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEMBERS!! YEAH!! AND GROUND THAT GIGANTIC MONEY LOSING SRILANKAN AIRLINES!! AFTER THESE CHANGES GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER HAVE TO BORROW MONEY, THATS RIGHT!!

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ranjith kandage Saturday, 15 October 2022 08:45 AM

Yes, you are an one of economic experts in this island having lot of experience and we know how your performance during the office in trade, education, finance and mass media ministry. It is good enough to figure out how your restructure program Railways.

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Charitha Perera Saturday, 15 October 2022 09:11 AM

Railways are utterly subsided, however, from a Climate Change perspective it is far better solution than diesel buses, petrol powered motorbikes. If the losses can be halved by within an maybe that's enough, and the next year losses can be aimed at being halved again. Railways maybe loss making for now, but if Sri Lanka wants to talk about it's own efforts to improve on it's own Climate Change causing, then pricing railway ticket too high to quickly could greater climate change causing modes of transport to be more used.

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Lion Saturday, 15 October 2022 09:36 AM

Never, never, as long as you all who stayed in power for 74 years continued be in power.

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sacre blieu Saturday, 15 October 2022 09:57 AM

What a way to run any organisation, and you, the politicians are mainly to blame. If this gold mine is milked by dishonesty of accountability and even blatant corruption in procurement, it is not surprising and is clearly visible to see. A certain section of the upcountry train track somewhere around Rambukkana makes the carriages shudder and is at times frightening. The carriages are inadequately maintained and it goes for the toilets too. Today, some of the prize exhibits are in a parlous state of neglect.

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Harsh Saturday, 15 October 2022 11:12 AM

Create a cargo handling division from excess staff our internal cargo business is huge. Tie up with international courier companies. Get their expertise . This can make the industry profitable.

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Jarava Saturday, 15 October 2022 12:00 PM

There are some good comments made by readers! The Minister, we don't know whether his ideas are to sincerely improve the service or has intentions of making some money ?

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Rudy Hodgson Saturday, 15 October 2022 12:02 PM

I coming from the Railway background have studied and forwarded several restructuring Proposals to the SLR heiarchy since 2018. You don't have to be a professor or doctorate holder to do it. All it needs is brains to think out of the box. A true understanding of the Railway operations and boldness to cut down costs and loss making areas. Sadly. Not a cat gave it a second look.

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vimal Pe Saturday, 15 October 2022 04:08 PM

In 1988, prompted by SJ's large deficits, the Swedish parliament privatized the network by ordering that the ownership of rail infrastructure be separated from the ownership of train operations, and opened up the system to private sector train operators by introducing competitive tendering for local rail service contracts.[5]

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Prasath Saturday, 15 October 2022 12:18 PM

We must accept and come to senses that any govt in SL does not know how to run a business profitably let alone railway, GOSL will not run even a thosa kade profitably. Just privatise it 100 % Al least the tax payers don't have to pay for the state owned enterprises future losses.

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akshay Saturday, 15 October 2022 12:20 PM

Indian Railways the biggest in the world is a government organization and is the single biggest employer in India, yet it is running in profit. OPEN YOUR EYES SRILANKA

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tilak Saturday, 15 October 2022 12:23 PM

None of the numbers quoted make any sense 10 B loss 2.6 B revenue 2.3 B OT 7B salary (salary OT = LOSS) 8000 vacancies???

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Ram Saturday, 15 October 2022 02:17 PM

If structure no good restructure now, for the Minister succeeding you to unwind your structure and restructure again. These are political games that we see all the time and these games fatten the Ministers pockets

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Spartacus Saturday, 15 October 2022 03:05 PM

First

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Buddhist Saturday, 15 October 2022 08:59 PM

Make it a public-private limited liability company where Govt owns 34% of shares and the rest raise money from the stock exchange.

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SLPP is dreaming about that power. Saturday, 15 October 2022 10:43 PM

Before restructuring the railway concentrate on restructuring our economy and living conditions.

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Samantha Sunday, 16 October 2022 01:16 AM

Go ahead and do it Dont wait till everything collapse. If you need to send employees home, compensate them and terminate. If trade unions come to strike or protest send them home too. We cant continue like this. As someone said hand over to experienced Japanese company on ppp. They know what to do. First change the act.

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We have real experts. Sunday, 16 October 2022 10:33 AM

Rail service is a public utility service and expecting profit is difficult. It has to maintain its own tracks and this is at heavy cost. Separate it and control expense to improve efficiency. 2. Even if there is One train a day,, the staff has to operate 24 hours. This cost money. So, why not find ways to utilize it for other transport such as cargo? This may cut Cost of living! There are experts; use them.

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From Japan Sunday, 16 October 2022 12:57 PM

In full agreement with Samantha. Don't let anyone "block" these things. Handover to Japan.

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Palagedara Narisona Sunday, 16 October 2022 04:04 PM

Yes, can be done with your Dinesh Phillip stolen money in the past - Do something for your next life!!

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sam Sunday, 16 October 2022 06:09 PM

Minister and his followers have no clue. Eventually privatise

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Food first religious place last Sunday, 16 October 2022 07:20 PM

Railways are more public service than religious places. People can't get money to eat, if prices go become too high. If PUCSL can make electricity cheap for temple, it is unfair for higher pricing for rail tickets. No way price hikes or talk about make private until unfairness undone for give cheaper than cost electricity to temple.

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Appanam Palankattan Monday, 17 October 2022 09:54 AM

A loss of Rs. 10 billion annually is nothing compared to stolen money from the Central Bank and other politicians!! If you can, request ALL dogs who have stolen government funds since 1948 to return and develop the country and serve people!! BORU SOBHANA KATHA to please Hora Nayakam.

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