Army steps-in to issue tickets at expressways as ticket officers go on strike

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Army personnel were deployed to man the ticketing stations at Expressway in Sri Lanka, after ticketing officers decided to go on strike.

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu visited one such ticketing station and monitored the process that was implemented following the strike.

Sri Lanka Army said that its personnel were deployed in order to prevent any inconvenience caused to the motorists who use the country's expressways.

31 Officers and 233 other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army from the Security Forces Headquarters (West) were assigned to issue tickets and related operations on the E-1 Expressway from Kottawa to Magampura.

The Chairman of the All Ceylon Expressway Employees Union, Hasitha Munasinghe, said the strike was launched at 7 AM on Wednesday (22).

He said the strike was launched based on multiple demands, including pension issues.

The Road Development Authority said that the strike by ticket counter employees will not impact the flow of traffic along the expressway.

Director General of the RDA L. V. S. Weerakoon, said that the armed forces personnel were deployed for the protection of the expressway, and the military personnel will be involved in the issuing of tickets.