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| Saturday, 24 April 2004 |
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by Milton Dharmasinghe, Bulathsinhala special corr. The General Manager of the Kalutara bus company J. P. Mendis said that during the UNF regime in 2001, 135 buses, five from each depot in the country were sent to the Werahera workshop and these buses are still missing. 'We don't know what has happened to them and legal action will be taken on a trade union basis,' Mendis said addressing a press conference held at the Horana (SLTB) Depot on Wednesday regarding the plight of the Horana Bus Depot. Mendis also said that the five buses sent to the Werahara workshop was estimated at around Rs. 3.9m each by the valuation office. "During the past two years the situation of Horana Depot and the entire transport services had deteriorated as uneducated unqualified officers had handled their administration. During the last two years there was no improvement in the bus services. In January 2004, the depot had received a loss of Rs. 4,701,147 and during the past two years the depot had been receiving heavy losses. Before the year 2001 and before increasing the bus fares, Horana Depot had recorded the highest daily revenue among bus depots in Sri Lanka. It was Rs. 4,56,000. Before 2001 out of 120 buses 109 buses were in service. After December 2001 out of 120 buses only 42 were in service daily, and during this period a loss of Rs. 1.82 per 1 km was received by the depot Not a single new bus was given to the depot and no tyres and other spare parts had been provided. The result being more than 60 buses condemned and stationed at the yard unrepaired. In 2001, 15 new bus services had been started, but during the past two years all these new bus services except one had been suspended stranding the commuters' according to Mendis. "During the past two years the depot had not paid a single cent to the Ceylon Electricity Board and an electricity bill of Rs. 10,65,654.01 has to be paid. At the same time, a sum of Rs. 4,68,000 has to be paid to the Horana UC as bus-stand taxes during this period. Salaries of the employees were not paid on time. Due to lack of buses specially Horana Colombo bus-services and semi luxury services were reduced upto five. Speaking on the present situation Mendis said that soon after the present government came to power the management of the Kalutara Bus Company under the new management has increased up to 64 buses from 42. Twenty two buses kept aside as condemned buses were repaired. Most of the employees supported to the increase the services by working on Shramadana basis. During the past two years, buses worked less than 11,000 km daily and now it has been increased by more than 16,000 km daily and during the past three weeks an income of Rs. 11 million have been received. He also said that within the next few months the transport services and the management in the entire Horana Depot will be reformed and maximum services would be supplied to the commuters and there will be more job opportunities for youth. Horana SLFP organiser Vidura Wickramanayaka requested the new management of the Horana Depot to improve school bus services and develop the transport services. |
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