Additional bus, train services for Avurudhu

Irangika Range

The Railways Department, The Sri Lanka Transport Board(SLTB) and the National Transport Commission(NTC) will launch a special new year train and bus service for commuters leaving Colombo for the New Year.

A spokesman for the Transport Ministry told the Daily News that under the programme, long distance trains will be deployed to different parts of the country in addition to trains operating on the usual time table.

Accordingly, special trains are to be deployed to Matara, Medawachchiya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Badulla, Anuradhapura and back before and after the new year for the convenience of commuters.

"The special services will commence from April 10 from the Fort and Maradana railway stations and will be available until April 12. The same service will be available for commuters to return to Colombo after the new year," he said.

Meanwhile, the SLTB will also launch special new year bus services from the Central Bus stand in Pettah during the up coming festive season to facilitate commuters who travel home in large numbers for the Sinhala and Tamil new year.

Under this programme, the SLTB will operate 1500 trips commencing from April 10 upto April 13 to various parts of the country to help people living in distant areas get home for the new year without any inconvenience.

This service will be available for the commuters' return journey as well.

The security of the commuters too would be looked into with the Police, Army , Railways Security Forces in collaboration with the Civil Security Committees engaged for checking baggage and parcels of commuters.

Additional inspectors will be deployed to monitor the operation during the period. In addition, Mobile supervising teams will also be deployed round the clock to oversee the long distance services.