Armour plated CTB buses for threatened villages
Nimal WIJESINGHE, Anuradhapura additional district
group correspondent
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Minister Tissa Karaliyadde, Kebithigollewa Pradeshiya Sabha
Chairman Kalyani Karalliyadde and Kebethigollewa Pradeshiya
Sabha Member K. P. B. Chandrasekera on board the maiden bus
ride. Picture by Nimal Wijesinghe
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The Transport Ministry on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's instructions
has made arrangements to deploy a fleet of safe buses in Padaviya,
Welioya and Kebithigollewa areas.
The decision to provide blast proof vehicles has been taken following
the recent bomb attacks on buses transporting civilians in these areas.
On June 15, 2006 a bus, packed to capacity proceeding from Yakawewa
village to Kebithigollewa was blasted, killing 70 passengers and
injuring many.
President Rajapaksa rushed to the scene and having gathered first
hand information about the hazards faced by the people in the zone
initiated the Jathika Saviya and Gama Neguma development programmes to
awaken the battered livelihood of the villagers.
Recently, two especially designed armour plated CTB buses started
shuttling across Kunchuttuwa, Talgahawewa, Yakawewa, Halmillawetiya,
Vihara Halmillewa, Jankapura, Parakramapura and Padaviya.
Indigenous Medicine Minister Tissa Karaliyadde who was the chief
guest at the inaugural bus journey which started from the Siri Sulugal
Dambulu Raja Maha Vihara and Pirivena, said on the President's
instructions, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma would patronise the programme
by providing adequate number of modified buses capable of resisting
claymore blasts.
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