The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Association (SLRSMA) says steps have been taken to resume train operations on the Talaimannar railway line, which had remained closed for several months, on the instructions of the Minister without restoring the railway signalling system.
Chairman of the Association, Sumedha Somaratne, stated that operating trains without ensuring the proper functioning of the signalling system is unsafe and cannot be condoned.
"The Minister always says, 'Officials, get on board to put this back on the right track.' However, he has not invited the trade unions to participate. We have constructive proposals to offer, and we are not engaging in anti-government rhetoric. Despite repeatedly raising these concerns, we have been continuously excluded from the process and no meaningful solutions have been provided. Therefore, we strongly protest the hasty resumption of train operations," Somaratne said.
He further stated that the signalling system beyond Medawachchiya, on the section that remained closed for a prolonged period, is still not operational.
"Train services commence during the early hours of the morning despite the signalling system being non-functional. Who will be held responsible if this practice leads to an accident?" he questioned.
