Cleanliness could make the upcountry train ride so much pleasanter
Many letters have appeared in the newspapers over the last few weeks on the Podi Menike and Udarata Menike trains from Colombo to Badulla. The newspapers also reported that the Sri Lanka Government Railways General Manager has announced that there will be a ticket price increase of 15% from April. He should have also mentioned that he has taken note of the shortcomings highlighted by the train travellers and that steps would be taken to correct them.
Last month when I together with some people from Canada travelled by Podi Menike from Fort to Nanu Oya, we too experienced most of those defects pointed out in those letters. Let me point out a few more for the attention of the General Manager. A few vendors walk from one end of the train to the other end selling food items. Among them, I was told, is an officially permitted vendor. On the back of his black t’shirt was the name of some catering service. A tourist wanted to buy some food and the seller just used his bare hands to offer the food. The tourist quickly refused and turned to his companion and said some thing about “dirty hands”. If it is a reputed catering service, they should not touch food with fingers, but with tongs (serving spoons).
On the back of the seats in the 1st class compartment instructions to operate the seat are given in wrong English.
The commode seat in the toilet looks very old and badly discoloured. The toilet stinks, because apparently some users do not flush the commodes. Some time ago when we travelled by night train in China, I found the toilets in the compartment clean. The secret is a person in uniform is assigned to keep the compartment clean and to ensure no unauthorized people get into the compartment. Every two hours or so that person sprayed the toilet using the bidet spray and mopped the floor. We too have a person to prevent non first class ticket holders getting into the compartment, but he is not interested in the cleanliness of the toilets.
If the authority is interested in providing a better service to the travellers, they should take train rides occasionally. To correct these shortcomings pointed out in these columns, the SLGR does not require a fortune. What is required is the will to do it. The tourists who use these trains will continue to use them, because they want to travel in the country. They prefer the train journey, because it provides them with an opportunity to see the beauty of the Up country, but please do not take them for granted, they will talk about the level of facilities available in our beautiful country after they go back to their countries.
I must mention one good word about the guard. On two occasions he walked into the 1st class compartment to point out the reservoir and the waterfall to the delight of the tourists.
H de Silva Via email