Experts decry Railways' apathy towards local technology at crossings

Engineering experts say the Railways Dept is yet to provide a suitable solution to safeguard unprotected rail-gates over the years, even though engineers have come up with low cost local solutions.

The concern over the safety in level crossings was discussed following several accidents, after gatekeepers of 600 unsafe railway crossings protested over their salary increase.

Senior Lecturer- Dept of Electronic Telecommunication, Moratuwa University, Dr Jayathu Samarawikrema said he and groups of students were engaged in many projects regarding the gate issue but, their ideas have yet to be implemented.

He said they came up with 'bell and light' systems, as well as automatic gate systems but, the Dept is not willing to allow their ideas to be implemented or conduct trials with their equipment.

“We started to develop the railway systems one-and-a-half-years earlier but, all our equipment are at workshops. We hold The Railways Dept responsible for the recent deaths, because they are not solving issues when they have the capacity,” he said.

He claimed they can create both the railway gate, as well as the 'bell and light' systems to indicate approaching trains within a distance of 1 km. Dr Samarawikrema said they can either use the railways signalling or sensors for the procedure.

Dr Samarawikrema explained that the cost for both the bell-and-light warning system or automatic gate system can be done for Rs 1 million, while the light system requires no maintenance cost.

“If they say they have no funds, we can use this as a technical project or enlist private sector help to install. All we need is to test our products. Attempts must be made to improve the system,” he said.

He claimed that 250 lights provided to the Railways Dept have been used but, other equipment such as 100 bells, battery chargers for diferent voltages and LED bulbs were not used.

Another expert on Material Science & Engineering, Prof R.G.N.De.S. Munasinghe who is also from Moratuwa University, said that countries such as Germany, India, Japan and China have electronic gate systems which function automatically.

He said such technology can be achieved in Sri Lanka with the help of university academics and students.

“If the Railways Dept had given us the go ahead, we would have attended to at least several of the most dangerously unsafe level crossings,” he said. He further said the Railways promote foreign systems which cost over Rs 4 million but, not locally manufactured systems.

Prof Munasinghe also stressed they can test these systems on safe railway systems and use a watcher for safety.

However, a senior official of the Railway Dept.'s Signals Division, who wished to remain anonymous, said they cannot allow Railway Crossings to be experimental places for university academics.

“Railways Dept is responsible for people's lives and would not take risks by using the rail track for experiments,” he said.

He said they too are aware that Sri Lanka Railways does not have the capacity to install the best technology due to technical and budget issues but, at least, try to install globally approved foreign systems which are expensive but are willing to bear the cost for the public's safety.

The Locomotive Operating Engineers Union General Secretary Indika Dodamgoda said a bell-and-light system would be ideal to warn motorists at rail crossings of an approaching train.

He said, yet most accidents are due to the negligence of drivers and people still cross the road with phones in their ears.

“We drivers are directed to horn heavily when we approach an unprotected railway crossing, according to the Railway Act. Signs are erected a mile before the crossing and therefore, we are forewarned, so we toot,” he said.

He also requested police to have a special duty roster at unprotected railway crossings.

Medawachiya Railway Station officials said some railway gatekeepers of unprotected railway crossings, were protesting by lying across the tracks near Medawachiya railway crossing, demanding an increase of Rs 5,000 to their salaries, as their current salary of Rs 7,500 was not sufficient to survive. The lying-in caused four trains to delay for one hour.

Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva claimed there are 882 unsafe gates, of which 688 are managed by the police.

The DIG Traffic, Palitha Fernando said they have already assigned traffic police on either side of railway crossings in populated areas.

He said the police traffic division has only a cadre of 6,000, and therefore lacked the manpower to assign traffic officers at all level crossings.

“We take action against people who cross the railway line after the gates are closed,” he said. He admitted that the protesting railway gatekeepers were introduced to the service through the police during the previous regime, but the Railways Dept paid the Rs 7,500. (Additional reporting by Pushpakumara Jayaratna)