Sri Lankan railway union strike leaves several commuters stranded

11 Jul 2024 CW Team

A railway union strike halted most train services across Sri Lanka on July 10, left tens of thousands of passengers stranded or crammed into the few overcrowded trains that continued to operate. The strike, initiated by the Station Masters' Union, was called to demand the filling of vacancies and the resolution of other administrative issues. Hundreds of scheduled train journeys were cancelled due to the strike, resulting in the few operational trains being dangerously packed with commuters. Local TV stations broadcast images of people risking their lives to reach school and work, clinging precariously to the sides of the trains and balancing on rain-slicked footboards. Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena condemned the strike, criticising the union for taking what he described as arbitrary action while the government was already addressing their concerns. During a similar strike in September, two passengers lost their lives while traveling on overcrowded trains: one was struck on the head by an overhead railway bridge while riding on the roof of a train, and the other fell from a footboard and succumbed to his injuries. Sri Lanka's train services have long been plagued by substandard conditions, including poorly maintained compartments and tracks, largely due to years of mismanagement and lack of proper planning. Frequent and sudden strikes have only worsened the situation, causing significant delays for most train services. (Source: ET)

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