Corruption on Sr Lanka Train

The Nine Arches Bridge in Ella, Sri Lanka, recently made headlines again, and it's an opportune moment to share a personal story connected to it. 

During our daughter's recent visit to Sri Lanka, she and a friend decided to explore Ella, a common destination for many tourists. 

They bought tickets for the train, like most travellers, intending to disembark at Ella.

During their journey, a railway security officer, who also doubled as a ticket checker, approached them, seemingly to inspect their tickets. 

Discovering that their journey was to end in Ella, he made an unsolicited suggestion: “Why not continue to the next station? 

The train will stop on the Nine Arches Bridge for at least 10 minutes, and you can take as many photos as you like.”

My daughter, always one to follow the rules, pointed out that their tickets were valid only up to Ella and not for Demodara, the station beyond the bridge. 

The officer replied, “We can allow you to continue, but it will cost you something.” 

Intrigued, they asked how much, and he quoted Rs. 1500 per passenger. Both women declined the offer and got off at Ella, their planned stop.

This incident, though seemingly minor, is just one of the countless examples of corruption in the system. 

It's a reflection of a much broader issue where many acknowledge the need for systemic reform, but few take steps toward real change. 

People like this railway officer exploit their positions, indulging in petty corruption that has become ingrained in daily life.

At first, I was inclined to report this to the railway authorities, but on further reflection, I realized that the very authority meant to uphold integrity is likely more corrupt than the individuals they employ. 

This small encounter on a train in Sri Lanka reveals a deeper truth about the unchecked decay of a system that people are either too complacent or too complicit to fix.