Minister Alahapperuma launches:

New bus service for rural areas

Irangika RANGE

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has taken measures to launch a new bus service to meet the transport needs of the rural population living in the Gampaha District under the Gemi Seriya project.

A permanent, low cost bus service is provided for developing rural areas under the Gemi Deriya project, a spokesman from the Transport Ministry told the Daily News. Accordingly, Minister Alahapperuma provided 10 new buses to be added to the 35 routes in the Gampaha district.

The operators who operate both private and Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses on these routes will be given subsides amounting to Rs. 17.50 (per 1 km) for running buses on uneconomic routes. Both SLTB and private bus operators should run buses at least four times a day and a minimum distance of 150 km on this unprofitable routes to qualify for the subsidies.

The project is carried out by the Transport Ministry with the assistance of the National Transport Commission to meet the transport needs of the rural commuters living in villages where passenger transport services had not operated earlier.

The Minister said previous Governments had neglected the village but the President has realized the importance of developing rural areas and has given prominence to village development under the Mahinda Chintana program.