Bus operators warned against strike
 

BY RAJMI Manatunga

TRANSPORT authorities yesterday warned stern action against private bus operators if they seek to cripple bus services during the New Year season through a strike.

Heads of Provincial Transport Authorities who met in Colombo yesterday said any such attempt to inconvenience commuters will warrant severe penalties including the cancellation of route permits.

The warning comes in the wake of threats by bus operators to strike coinciding with a special program drawn up by transport authorities to facilitate efficient transport during the New Year season.

"Bus operators pledged to cooperate when we proposed this special New Year transport service. If they go back on their promise and harass commuters we will cancel their route permits," North Central Provincial Transport Authority Chairman Upali Samaraweera said.

A special bus service from Colombo to other parts of the country is to be launched from April 7 by transport authorities in six provinces to enable people to travel home for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year and back without inconvenience.

According to the program, additional buses will be deployed from the Western Province to other parts of the country from April 7 to 13 according to passenger requirements. The service will be supervised and regulated by a service coordinating office to be set up at the Pettah bus stand.

"This will be a 24 hour service commencing from the Pettah bus stands in Gunasinghepura and Bastian Mawatha and from Kalutara, Panadura, Airport, Kaduwela and Avissawella.

We have also decided to launch special night services from Katunayake, Biyagama and Nittambuwa for employees of the free trade zones," Western Province Transport Authority Chairman J.M Somasiri said.

The same services will be available to commuters from April 13 to 22 to return to Colombo after the New Year.

Transport authorities said that buses carrying out the special service will be provided a temporary route permit while the regular inter-provincial time tables will be cancelled during this period. The CTB cluster bus companies are also expected to join the service.

Meanwhile, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said yesterday that they have decided not to go on strike in April since the authorities have agreed to grant eight of their ten demands.

"We have received a satisfactory response from the Western Province Transport Authority for eight of our demands. Therefore, we will not go on strike during the New Year. However, if the other two demands are not met immediately we will definitely launch an islandwide strike in May," he said.