Tourism authorities examine Pattipola Tourist Comfort Centre; say social media criticism unfounded 

The Ministry of Tourism and Development and Christian Affairs sent a special team of officials to look into the status of the ‘Tourist Comfort Centre’ attached to the Pattipola Railway Station, operated by the Department of Railways. 

A picture taken at the facility, where a foreigner was seen lying on a trolley, went viral on social media platforms and therefore Tourism Development and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga immediately deployed a team of officials to look into the current status of the facility. 

The officials who visited the facility said the Tourist Comfort Centre was not in a dilapidated condition, as portrayed by some media and website reports. 

They stated that the Tourist Comfort Centre is well-maintained and fully utilised by tourists visiting the area. “There are hardly any complaints about the cleanliness of the place or bad maintenance. The Department of Railways is continuously working on its improvement and the staff is working around the clock to ensure the proper maintenance of the place,” an official who visited the Pattipola facility said. 

“During our discussions, the Station Master of Pattipola stated that the picture, which was widely shared on social media, had been taken when a tourist fell asleep on a trolley, while waiting for a train. He said some tourists preferred to sit outside enjoying the scenic beauty of the Pattipola railway station. When analysing the picture out of context, it may give a wrong idea about the comfort centre. But we can assure that the Tourist Comfort Centre is in good condition, and it continues to be a useful facility to all tourists visiting the railway station,” the Sri Lanka Tourism official added. 

The Transport Ministry, the Tourism Development Ministry and provincial tourism authorities are currently working hand in hand to improve facilities and infrastructure for tourists travelling across the country.