News
Sri Lanka: Free train service for Poson pilgrims from Aviva NDB
01 July, 2010
This year, Aviva NDB Insurance enhanced its Poson Safety Campaign and made arrangements to run a special free shuttle service between Anuradhapura and Mihintale. The “Aviva NDB Poson Vandana” train was available for the safety and convenience of devotees starting from 24-26 June. Over a million pilgrims visit Mihintale during the Poson season.
Every year Aviva NDB has an extensive campaign to keep Poson pilgrims aware of the dangerous waters that have claimed many lives before the safety campaign was launched. This was the 17th successive year that the company has had the Poson safety awareness campaign - reducing the number of deaths from drowning among pilgrims to zero.
To ensure this trend continues, Aviva NDB’s safety campaign includes the distribution of leaflets starting from entry points to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, with hoardings, banners, pennants and public address systems reminding pilgrims to safeguard themselves.
Most importantly, the company facilitates the presence of around 550 professional lifesavers at almost all the tanks and reservoirs with the collaboration of the Sri Lanka Police, Navy and the Life Saving Association of Sri Lanka. Over the years at least 150 lives of Poson pilgrims have been saved. This year the lifesavers succeeded in saving 12 people.
“Apart from the lives saved, this year we extended our traditional safety campaign in Anuradhapura to offer a free train service to and from Mihintale for the Poson pilgrims so that they were able to travel safely and comfortably,” said Amal Perera, AGM marketing.
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About Aviva
Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest* insurance group, serving over 53 million customers across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific. Aviva's main business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of £45.1 billion and funds under management of £379 billion as at 31 December 2009. Aviva is the largest insurance services provider in the UK and one of the leading providers of life and pension products in Europe.
The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.
* based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2008
About NDB bank
NDB Group is one of the largest financial conglomerates in Sri Lanka, operating regionally in Maldives and Bangladesh. The Group offers project finance, corporate banking, SME lending, retail banking, investment banking, stock broking, wealth management and insurance solutions under one roof. Today, NDB bank, the commercial banking arm of the NDB Group is the highest capitalized Sri Lankan commercial bank.
