Thoughts while chugging along on the Denuwara Manike to Badulla
On February 20, my family members and I made a journey on “Denuwara Manike”, the latest addition to Sri Lanka Railways rolling stock, from Colombo to Badulla. Our return journey took place on the same train on the 22nd.
The facilities available on board are excellent with some new additions to the Sri Lanka Railways service such as current speed indicators, train stop station details and comfortable reclining seats on second class cabins that are ideally suited for long haul train journeys.
However, the following facts have to be brought to light, solely for the purpose of improvement and upliftment of this magnificent service that we hope will be enjoyed by thousands of local and foreign visitors in the future:
1. The staff members / stewards in the “privately managed” restaurant car serving snacks and beverages must be conversant in English as a majority of the passengers are foreigners. The stewards also need to be of an acceptable age and dressed in a smart uniform while carrying out their duties. The only steward around was wearing dirty clothing and slippers which was a disgrace to such an admirable train service. Basic hospitality training is highly recommended for these stewards so that instances such as “tossing sugar from the sugar container into the cup” would not take place in front of a passenger, as I experienced during this trip.
2. We Sri Lankans take great pride in growing some of the best tasting aromatic teas in the world. Nevertheless, the tea offered in the restaurant carriage seems to have completely missed the wagon on the quality and taste of a real Ceylon cup of tea. The irony is that it was served while we were passing through some beautifully maintained lush green tea estates! Sri Lanka Railways could rectify this issue easily by resorting to good quality tea, coffee, sugar and milk in sachet form so that consistency and international standards are adhered to. I’m confident that passengers wouldn’t mind paying a premium for such a standard of service.
3. At the beginning of the journey, the lavatories were found to be in clean and well maintained but as the journey progressed, due to usage, the condition of the lavatories deteriorated and they became an unpleasant place to visit. Therefore, it is highly recommended to have the lavatories cleaned in the middle of the journey (ideally at Nanu Oya on both upward and downward trips) so that proper hygiene is maintained throughout. During my long train journeys in India, I have witnessed service personnel cleaning lavatories at designated stations mid-journey on a regular basis to maintain hygiene standards and cleanliness. In India, the ground staff use small petrol engine driven portable pressure water pumps that are convenient and efficient in completing the task in a very short time.