Pain points and pleasure points of an Odyssey – Part II

This is our country, our heritage, and our reputation that we must preserve for future generations

It was disheartening to see such blatant harassment going unchecked, particularly in an area frequented by visitors. It is the responsibility of the Tourism Authorities to establish visitor information centres and to educate tourists about local and island-wide attractions, various modes of travel, and typical travel costs for each option. If the authorities have not yet recognised these fundamental needs, they are not fulfilling their role as promoters of tourism in this country. Without addressing such basic requirements, they undermine the experience of visitors and the reputation of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination

It is noted that this is a continuation of the narrative detailing my recent travel experience in Sri Lanka. If you have not yet read Part I of this article, I recommend doing so to fully grasp the context and the underlying intentions of this account.

Continuing our journey, on 2 December  at approximately 10:15 a.m., we boarded the observation compartment of the express train from Badulla to Colombo Fort to commence our return trip. The train made several stops at various stations to allow oncoming trains to pass. Eventually, we arrived at Hatton Station after a notably slow last stretch of the journey. This sudden reduction in speed gave us a peculiar sense of unease, and I speculated that the locomotive might have been experiencing mechanical issues. The stop at Hatton was longer than usual, prompting passengers to inquire with the guard about the cause of the delay. The guard explained that the train ahead had experienced a minor derailment, and that a recovery team was enroute. He assured us that the delay would be approximately 30 minutes, as the situation was manageable, and the recovery process would be swift. Given the circumstances, we accepted the explanation with a sense of understanding.

However, the delay extended to over an hour. I overheard several restless passengers, more informed than we were, inquiring about alternative transportation options. Foreign tourists appeared particularly bewildered by the situation. One local passenger, after making a few phone calls, remarked that hiring a van for his family to travel to their hometown in Gampaha would be prohibitively expensive.

There were no announcements whatsoever from the Station Master or any verbal updates from the guard regarding the progress of the recovery efforts or the actual situation. To the credit of the Train Driver, he made the decision to stop at Hatton Station, where clean toilet facilities and a café were available. The toilet was the cleanest I encountered throughout the entire journey. It was a paid facility, with a caretaker on hand to maintain cleanliness and collect fees from users.

No communication from authorities

The delay stretched on, eventually reaching four hours, yet there was still no communication from the authorities. By this point, both the café and the toilets had closed, and the caretakers had left the station. During this time, a local family with two young children sitting nearby generously shared some sweets with us and a few other passengers. It was a heartwarming demonstration of hospitality from the decent, middle-class people of the island.

After a lengthy conversation with the family, we learned that the husband worked as a clerical officer in a private company, and the wife was a nurse. It seemed they had encountered similar predicaments in the past and adapted to the situation far more gracefully than we did, despite managing two agitated children. These humble families, whose kindness shone through in such circumstances, truly deserved better from the railway authorities—at the very least, accurate information to help them manage the situation.

Suddenly, I heard a scream. A windowpane had fallen onto a child’s hand, prompting the father, who had been dozing, to spring into action and carefully lift the pane to free the child’s hand. The nurse quickly rushed to the scene. Thankfully, the fingers were not broken, as the impact was softened by the short fall of only a few centimetres. Upon inspecting the window beside me, I realised that it lacked a mechanism to prevent the sudden drop of the pane when fully raised. If the window were accidentally released due to a jolt from the train, the momentum of the falling pane could easily cause injury, especially if a hand were caught between the pane and the frame. This is a serious safety concern that the railway authorities should address by ensuring all trains are equipped with proper window mechanisms to prevent such accidents.

In the meantime, a young foreigner sitting nearby struck up a conversation with a local passenger. I overheard his frustration as he expressed his confusion about the lack of information. He mentioned that he had expected the railway authorities to arrange alternative public transport to the nearest transport hub. Based on his comments, it seemed he was accustomed to such actions from transport authorities in his home country. Given his expectations, he was likely from Australia, where such measures are more commonly implemented in similar situations.

After a delay of more than four and a half hours, the train finally resumed its journey, only to make additional stops at the next three stations to allow oncoming trains to pass. By the time we arrived at the pitch-dark Peradeniya Station, we had been delayed by over six and a half hours beyond the originally expected arrival time. It was 1:00 a.m. on the morning of 23 November. My family had booked accommodation in Kandy for a two-night stay, but it took another 30 minutes to find a three-wheeler, as this unscheduled train arrival at Peradeniya Station meant that no taxis or three-wheelers were available nearby. To complicate matters further, the hotel reception had closed at 10:30 p.m. the previous evening. After some difficulty, we finally managed to access our room at 2:00 a.m.

Self-proclaimed local tour guides

Over the next two days, we explored several attractions in the beautiful city of Kandy and its surrounding areas. While walking along the Kandy Lake promenade, we witnessed the troubling behaviour of self-proclaimed local tour guides who were harassing foreign tourists. These so-called guides persistently followed tourists, continually offering various tour packages and transport options, even after the tourists had politely declined.

I found myself wondering why the nearby police, who were present, seemed oblivious to this issue. Concerned, I alerted one of the officers, but they appeared uninterested, implying that it was not their responsibility to address the situation. It was disheartening to see such blatant harassment going unchecked, particularly in an area frequented by visitors. It is the responsibility of the Tourism Authorities to establish visitor information centres and to educate tourists about local and island-wide attractions, various modes of travel, and typical travel costs for each option. If the authorities have not yet recognised these fundamental needs, they are not fulfilling their role as promoters of tourism in this country. Without addressing such basic requirements, they undermine the experience of visitors and the reputation of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination.

I witnessed several near-miss accidents on the road, as foreign tourists attempted to use designated pedestrian crossings, assuming that pedestrians had the right of way, as is the practice in many countries. However, they quickly learned that the situation was quite different in Sri Lanka, where vehicles often take precedence. The police, observing these incidents, smiled but did nothing, almost as if the pedestrians were in the wrong. I encountered the same disregard for pedestrian safety during my time in both Colombo and Kandy. I could not help but wonder what our road authorities were planning to do to restore discipline and ensure the safety of all road users. On a positive note, it is reassuring to see that this issue is now part of the agenda in the “Clean Sri Lanka” project, which aims to address such concerns and improve road safety across the country.

It is interesting to note that the University of Moratuwa (my alma mater), along with its staff and electronic engineering students, developed Sri Lanka’s first locally made traffic light system, which was installed at Katubedda Junction several decades ago. Given this innovative history, I believe there is a real opportunity for the Road Development Authority (RDA) and the University to collaborate again, this time to design a simple, standalone traffic light system equipped with movement sensors. Such a system could be installed near isolated pedestrian crossings, activating only when pedestrian movement is detected. This would not only improve pedestrian safety but also conserve energy by ensuring that traffic lights are only activated when needed. Furthermore, at night, these crossings could be lit, potentially with cat’s eyes or reflective materials along the crossing, to alert drivers of the presence of pedestrian crossings—particularly in areas where streetlights are insufficient or absent.

Addressing key concerns of pedestrian safety

This kind of solution would be both practical and innovative, addressing key concerns of pedestrian safety while also being mindful of energy efficiency. It is the kind of forward-thinking project that could significantly improve road safety in Sri Lanka and set an example for sustainable urban planning. The most surprising defence I heard from drivers was their frustration with pedestrians using crossings, with one driver remarking, “Do they think we can stop our vehicle for them whenever they’re at the crossing?” The answer, of course, is yes—they should. It is disheartening those drivers, including those from road authorities, fail to recognise that pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. The primary responsibility should be to ensure their safety, as they lack the protection that vehicles provide. This mindset reflects a broader issue of not fully understanding or prioritising pedestrian rights and safety on the roads. Road users, particularly drivers, must be more aware of their duty to stop for pedestrians and respect traffic laws designed to protect the most vulnerable.

When drivers approach a pedestrian crossing marked with a rhombus signage or “STOP” lettering on the ground, they should slow down and be prepared to stop, anticipating that pedestrians may be waiting to cross at either end of the crossing. They must not drive past the crossing until pedestrians have safely crossed the road, and they should stop for even a single pedestrian. This is the standard traffic law practiced in developed countries like Australia, where, for instance, a learner driver would immediately fail their driving test if they failed to stop at a pedestrian crossing.

To improve pedestrian safety, road authorities in Sri Lanka should consider reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h approaching pedestrian crossings. The approach areas should be clearly marked with double-crossed lines, and appropriate signage should be installed. Strict penalties, including fines, should be imposed on traffic rule violators. Furthermore, driving within designated lanes must be enforced rigorously. Overtaking at a pedestrian crossing, particularly by crossing a double line, should result in hefty fines and license suspension. If the authorities feel the need for a comprehensive traffic rulebook, they could easily adopt existing guidelines by downloading traffic regulations from the official websites of traffic authorities in developed countries. This would provide a solid foundation for improving road safety and pedestrian rights in Sri Lanka.

Kandy, a world-famous sacred city, was unfortunately plagued by pollution, with people carelessly discarding their waste. Bird droppings were found everywhere, including on road furniture and the Kandy Lake boundary wall, detracting from the city’s beauty and reputation. The Kandy City Council must take immediate action to improve the cleanliness of the town centre. Police assistance should be sought to enforce regulatory signs and impose fines on both individuals and street vendors who contribute to environmental pollution. To streamline this process, our IT experts could develop an app for the police and council inspectors. This app could allow them to record offenses, track serial offenders, and easily search for previous infractions by entering the individual’s ID number. Such technology would help ensure more effective enforcement and accountability, ultimately leading to a cleaner, more sustainable Kandy.

Public transport

During our travels across Sri Lanka using both public and private transport, I encountered numerous instances of misbehaviour. Were I to document them all, I would end up authoring a book. Instead, I will focus on one particularly egregious incident involving the operators of long-distance air-conditioned coaches.

On one journey from Horana to Colombo, the driver and conductor engaged in an appalling act. They charged passengers the full luxury coach fare, loading the bus based on the number of seats. However, as the journey progressed, only a handful of passengers willingly boarded the bus, knowing that no seats were available. After reaching Gonapola, the driver switched off the air conditioning, and the conductor proceeded to open all the windows. They then began boarding additional passengers, continuing until the bus was packed to the brim.

Surprisingly, there was not a single complaint from the passengers on board. This led me to suspect that this may be a customary practice. Not wanting to be seen as a complainer, I chose to remain quiet and try to endure the rare discomfort of being crammed into a packed bus, with partially open curtains. The curtains themselves had never been washed, and the unbearable smell of mould permeated the air, adding to the discomfort. This incident raises a larger question: Are the transport authorities truly unaware of such practices, allowing passengers to be treated poorly and their hard-earned money exploited in this way? It is high time that the authorities take responsibility for ensuring better standards of service and passenger treatment.

To be continued.

Part I of this article can be seen at https://www.ft.lk/columns/Pain-points-and-pleasure-points-of-an-Odyssey-Part-I/4-772285

 

(The writer is a Professional Engineer currently working in the Australian NSW Local Government sector. He aims to share his perspectives on various social development issues alongside his professional expertise to inspire others to think critically and differently. He can be reached at [email protected].)