Gemi Seriya to meet transport needs of rural population

Irangika Range

The Government through the National Transport Commission will commence 45 and 58 new bus services in the Southern and Uva Provinces respectively under the Gemi Seriya project to meet the transport needs of the rural population.

Under the theme "One bus for one village", social and economic needs of the rural commuters of around 1,200 villages in these two Provinces where the proper transport system was not operated earlier will be fulfilled through this project..

Director, Planing Department of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Vijitha Weerasinghe told the Daily News that the people in rural areas undergo a number of hardships due lack of a proper transport system. "In keeping with the policies of the Mahinda Chinthanaya Gemi Seriya based on community requirements was initiated to promote regional development," she said.

She said the Government has allocated Rs.294 million to implement the Gemi Seriya project and extended to 400 routes island-wide by the end of this year. "It has been evaluated that cost for maintaining the service on one route will be Rs.750000," she said.

"This is a permanent, low cost bus service provided for rural areas. Bus operators of both private and Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses on these routes will be given a route subsidy amounting to Rs.17.50 (per 1km) for plying un-economic routes.

Both SLTB and private bus operators should function at least four turns in the relevant routes within a day covering a maximum distance of 150km to meet the transport needs of the rural population.

Under the first stage, 67 buses have already been deployed to the rural fleet in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.

He said private bus operators have also given an opportunity to deploy their buses in rural areas and 27 bus services are in operation at the moment. Meanwhile arrangements have already been made to commence around 33 new services before the end of this year.

The bus service is monitored by a committee of people living in that particular area and the NTC.