Fourteen years have gone past since the train-bus tragedy at the Yangalmodara railway crossing in Alawwa on Kurunegala-Colombo main road occurred, killing 45 and injuring 30 passengers, but authorities failed to set up a flyover bridge as they pledged to date.
The railway gate here is closed 110 times a day for trains.
Therefore, eyewitnesses of the tragedy urge the authorities to take immediate action to set up a flyover at the spot before another tragedy occurs.
Politicians, railway and transport authorities who visited the scene on the day promised to construct a flyover at this place, but they failed in their promise so far.
The train-bus collision happened on April 27, 2005 when a Colombo bound private bus from Galkiriyagama collided with an inter-city express train from Colombo to Kandy.
The bus was dragged nearly 75 metres before fire caught it. Reportedly, about 90 passengers were aboard the bus which had seats for only 55.
According to the railway authorities the Railway Department incurred a loss of nearly Rs.75 million due to the collision.
Transport State Minister Ashok Abeysinghe said an overhead bridge will be set up at the place in the near future.
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