Direct import of bus spares
Chaminda Perera
The Government will evolve a mechanism to import spare parts required
for Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB) depots from bus
manufacturing companies directly to avert exploitation by third party.
Transport Ministry officials have discussed with Indian bus companies
from which 98 percent of buses in the SLCTB are imported, for a
mechanism to purchase spare parts to SLCTB buses sans third party
involvement.
SLCTB Chairman H. D. Bandusena said this direct deal will leave no
room for corruption and the SLCTB will in turn have access to original
spare parts.
He said the SLCTB can bear the total cost of spare parts purchase
without a burden to the Treasury provided that the Government grants VAT
and duty concession.
“The Minister requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to grant the
SLCTB a VAT and duty concession to import spare parts directly from the
bus manufacturing companies at the Transport Ministry’s progress review
meeting at Temple Trees recently,” he said.
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Prizes for bus commuters
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In a move to
attract more passengers, the Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB)
will introduce a rewards scheme through which selected
passengers will be given prizes from each depot.
SLCTB Chairman, H.D.
Bandusena said, the Board has not still determined the
guidelines on which this scheme should be implemented, but the
rewards scheme would definetly be implemented.
He said passengers should be the SLCTB’s prime concern and sound
relations with them will help detect malpractices by bus
conductors and drivers.
“We will inform all CTB depots to display the time of departure
and arrival to the destination clearly visible to the
passengers. We will instruct SLCTB depots to ensure that the
time of departure and arrival to the destination is well adhered
by drivers,” he said. |
Bandusena said another 500 buses will be imported to SLCTB depots
within the next six months increasing the existing bus fleet from 4,500
to 5,000 on leasing basis and the bus depots will have to pay the lease.
“This is the first time the SLCTB purchased buses without a burden to
the Treasury,” he added.
Bandusena said over 50 out of 103 SLCTB depots are performing very
well and these depots are maintaining fixed deposits worth Rs. 10 -15
million from the profits accrued by them.
“There is immense potential to increase their income by increasing
the number of buses on profitable routes while equal attention is paid
to the rural roads,” he added.
The profit making bus depots will provide buses to other depots too
on a concessionary loan basis, he added.
The SLCTB is the only government entity in Sri Lanka which records a
daily revenue of Rs. 40 million and 50 percent of which is spent for the
fuel requirement, Bandusena added.
One of the two leading bus manufacturing companies in India has also
agreed to set up two workshops in Sri Lanka on a request by Transport
Minister Kumara Welgama. The first workshop will be established in
Kilinochchi and the second will probably be set up in the Southern
Province.
The Indian bus company management will also provide free technology
for the maintenance of this workshop. |
