President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Minister of Transport Pavithra Wanniarachchi to appoint a Commission to resolve issues of railway workers.
The President made this decision following an observational visit to the Mechanical Engineering Factory in Ratmalana belonging to the Sri Lanka Railway Department, Feb(24).
The President instructed that all existing issues, including recruitment and resource management, must be addressed within two months.
The factory complex was established in 1933 with the aim of maintaining a systematic railway service by repairing and maintaining machinery including locomotives, compartments and wagons.
The factory consists of 04 divisions namely Locomotive Group, Carriage & Wagon Group, Production Group, Electrical Group and is located on a 32 acre land.
There is a 24 member engineering staff including a Chief Mechanical Engineer and a 2,301 technical and non-technical staff working in 30 factories in Ratmalana and 06 factories in Colombo.
Department of Railways owns 142 locomotives, 129 power sets and 1,110 compartments imported from Japan, South Korea, China, India and Germany.
About 110 compartments are sent to the Ratmalana factory every year for repairs. Employees say about 70 compartments can be repaired. But due to existing staff problems and Covid 19 pandemic, that number has dropped by 50% in the past two years.
The President said that the existing problems related to recruiting trained employees should be removed and a system should be implemented to recruit trainees from vocational training institutes including the Sri Lanka German Railway Technical Training Centre.
The President instructed Chief Engineer Keerthi Hewawithana to prepare a comprehensive report on the requirements identified during the repairing of trains.
About 6,700 tons of piles of unused material were decaying in the factory premises. The President instructed the officials to auction them off immediately and use the proceeds of around Rs. 600 million for the benefit of the Railway Department and its employees.
About 80% of the factory’s workers are employed as labourers. Many of whom come to work as labourers retire in the same grade, the workers informed the President. President Rajapaksa pointed out the need to formulate a procedure to award promotions to those who join the service as labourers, taking into account their work experience and training.
The President visited many sections of the factory premises and encouraged the employees by engaging in conversation with them. The President emphasised the need to provide training to the current employees inside or outside the factory.
Necessary facilities need to be developed within the factory premises for the employees to be able to perform their duties without any inconvenience, he said and added that an attractive working environment should be created by focusing on urban development methods.
The President also pointed out that the use of computer technology could streamline the documentation and storage of equipment.
Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Minister Dilum Amunugama, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Transport Ministry Secretary Monti Ranatunga, State Ministry Secretary S.M.D.L.De Alwis, Railways General Manager J.I.D.Jayasundara and a group of Railway Department officials were present.
