A tragic train collision that killed seven wild elephants in the Gal Oya area on February 20 has reignited concerns over railway safety and conservation efforts. 

The Wildlife Conservation Society alleges that the driver of the ‘Meenagaya’ train which was involved in a tragic train collision that killed seven wild elephants in the Gal Oya area on February 20 was a 67-year-old whose certification from the Public Service Commission as a train driver had expired on January 15.

The Secretary of the Wildlife Conservation Society Nayanaka Ranwella said that despite lacking proper authorization, the driver was allegedly permitted to operate the train under the directive of a superior officer.  

“The driver who was at the controls did not have a valid recommendation from the Public Service Commission. His authorization period ended over a month ago. We believe that at least 19 train drivers in the Railway Department are in a similar situation. The responsible officials, including Minister Bimal Ratnayake, must immediately look into this issue”, Ranwella stated.   

The incident has once again highlighted the longstanding problem of wild elephants being struck by trains, an issue that authorities have yet to resolve effectively. Conservationists and railway unions have repeatedly urged for improved safety measures.

Indika Dodangoda, convener of the Trade Union Alliance for the Development of Railways, emphasized the urgent need for a reliable communication system to prevent such collisions.  

“The equipment installed in train engines to detect elephants is either malfunctioning or entirely non-functional, despite full payments being made to the relevant companies. Furthermore, an adequate number of devices were never purchased for installation across the railway network, even though the project has already cost $17 million”, Dodangoda explained.

Dodangoda stressed the necessity of an integrated warning system, stating, “A communication mechanism should be in place to send alerts about elephant movements near railway tracks. Without such technology, these tragedies will continue.”