More buses strengthen northern fleet

Irangika RANGE

Eight new Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses will be added to the northern fleet to streamline the public transport system in the north.

“The government has paid special attention to establish the transport service in the north since the private sector has not been functioning there for the last 15 years,” Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake told the Daily News.

“We handed over 10 new buses for 10 new routes to the depots in the North last month,” he said.

He explained that transport service in the Northern Province was below expectation and the efficiency had remained zero for many decades as a result of terrorism.

“Today 185 SLTB buses function on a regular basis to meet commuter demand within the northern region. But it is necessary to add 284 buses to the northern fleet to fit into the timetables to provide an efficient transport service,” Dissanayake said.

“The requirement will be fulfilled gradually with the addition of more buses to the routes in the North once the 100 new imported buses arrive,” he said.

The government took measures to set up new bus depots and renovate those destroyed by LTTE terrorism while adding 10 new buses to the existing fleet to meet the demand of commuters. Infrastructure facilities including roads which were badly damaged due to the war have been improved, Dissanayake said.

All depots in the north earn a daily revenue of around Rs 1.6 million from public transport. “We are committed to promote the public transport service in the Northern Province,” the deputy minister added.

The deputy minister had handed over a stock of tyres valued at Rs 1.3 million to the Jaffna depot as well.