Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardena has instructed the Ministry Secretary to conduct a speedy impartial investigation at ministerial level on the recent train strikes and take strict disciplinary action against those who have oppressed the public, regardless of their rank.
Last month too, a young student lost his life due to a strike launched arbitrarily by 84 railway workers and investigations are still under way at departmental level and by the Criminal Investigation Department.
Focusing on all these issues, the Government took steps to declare the railway as an essential service through a special gazette notification.
Even though the essential services rules and regulations were force, many train journeys had to be cancelled due to the sudden train strike, which followed a dispute over a cigarette between a railway security officer and a railway sub-controller.
A large number of people, including office workers who commute by train daily had to face severe hardships as a result of it.
Taking into account all these matters, the Minister has instructed the Ministry Secretary to conduct a speedy impartial investigation at Ministry level and strictly enforce the law against those involved. A complaint has also been made to the Criminal Investigation Department for a speedy investigation to find out whether any disruptive move was being implemented following the strikes which hold passengers to ransom. The Minister has given instructions to strictly implement the law on behalf of the aggrieved party after the prompt and impartial investigation which is being conducted under the supervision of the Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Highways with the assistance of the General Manager of Railways and officials.
