Rambukkana depot making significant progress - Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister

B. W. Eheliyagoda Kegalle special correspondent

The correct guidance offered by the President and the dedicated service rendered by Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has enabled the CTB to stand on its own feet said Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath.

He was addressing employees of the Rambukkana CTB Depot at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the SLCTB held at the Depot premises on December 7.

The Chief Minister said the Rambukkana Depot in particular had made significant progress in recent times because it was given the freedom to manage its own affairs without political interference.

He said that he succeeded in providing a well equipped bus stand spacious enough to park all buses there at an expenditure of Rs. 15 million. He emphasised that he will provide all assistance and co-operation to further develop the CTB and add more buses to the existing fleet.

He said that he could remember the times he travelled to Kegalle town from Rambukkana on a bus fare of 50 cents and that the common people will never forget the services of the CTB.

The Chief Minister mentioned that in the near future, the Rambukkana bus depot will be provided with six more new buses and that he has requested for 50 more buses to be added to the Kegalle fleet of buses.

He said during a past regime a certain group sold 17 CTB buses to the private sector labelling those as discarded vehicles and another group allegedly set fire to vehicles. These evildoers are posing as good men today.

He said that it is left to the intelligent masses to decide as to who was responsible for the creation of the CTB, its proper maintenance and at in whose hands its future progress and advancement rests.

Depot Superintendent H. P. Priyadarshana, Executive Officer K. S. Alahakoon, Sujeewa Rajapaksa of the Sri Lanka Transport Workers Union and K. P. Ariyasinghe also spoke.

There is a staff of 275 employees attached to the Rambukkana Depot and there exists a fleet of 50 buses of which 14 are brand new vehicles provided by the present Government.

In the past, the Rambukkana CTB Depot was experiencing difficult times in which even the payment of salaries of the employees became a problem. But in the present times the Rambukkana CTB Depot has advanced and is recording a Rs. 100,000 profit. Buses of this depot are covering 47 routes.