WEB DESK
In Sri Lanka, at least 11 scheduled trains were cancelled this morning owing to issues arising over railway employee retirements. Ministry of Transport expects to resolve the issue today.
Nearly 500 individuals from the entire railway staff retired on 31st of December as they turned 60.
President of the Railway Station Masters’ Union, Sumedha Somaratne said that the number of train cancellations is expected to rise further and the rest of the running trains will not be able to carry the commuter load.
Mr. Somaratne further said that the appointments of recruited station masters have not been approved since 2013. Station Masters warned that if a proper solution is not provided for this issue by next week they will launch a strike by January 9 against these collapses.
It is reported that due to shortage of railway employees, around 96 train journeys have been canceled within the last two days alone. The railway department has a workforce of about 17 thousand and carries abou 3.7 million passengers daily.
Sri Lanka Railways has been allowed to re-employ essential service employees on contract basis who retired on 31st of December, as per a directive of President’s secretariat.