Special bus, train services for festive season

Irangika Range

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), Western Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority and the Railway Department yesterday initiated special bus and train services to meet the commuter demand during the Christmas and New Year festive season.

Over 70 special buses will operate to benefit passengers shopping in the city of Colombo and suburbs, SLTB Chief Operational Superintendent, N.C.W. Gunawardana told the Daily News. This fleet facilitates the shopping crowd covering the major commercial cities of Kiribathgoda, Nugegoda, Borella, Wellawatta and Pettah.

Special bus services on routes 255 (Mount Lavinia-Kottawa), 154 (Angulana - Kiribathgoda), 176 (Karagampitiya-Borella-Nugegoda) will be operative. Meanwhile, the long distance bus services have been strengthened to facilitate the commuters.

He said since schools are on vacation, steps have been taken to deploy a large number of school buses currently idling at eleven bus depots in Colombo and Suburbs.

Chairman of the Western Province Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority J.M. Somasiri said they have already launched special bus services from Bastian Mawatha and other places for the people living in distant areas to reach their destinations during the Christmas and New Year without hindrance.

Bus services are also scheduled to commence from Negombo, Ja-ela, Katunayake, Wattala, Moratuwa and other towns.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Railway Department said a 24 hour-special train service will be operative to provide transport to commuters during this period. These special train services are due to leave for several destinations from Colombo.