New Batticaloa bus stand boosts Eastern development

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The commissioning of the new bus stand in Batticaloa town has taken passenger transportation to a new level. It has helped provide an uninterrupted bus service throughout the day to all key destinations in the country, Resettlement Deputy Minister Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan said.

“Bus services operate daily from Batticaloa to Matara, Kandy, Badulla, Kataragama, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura,” the deputy minister said recently.

The new bus stand complex which was built at a cost of Rs. 80 million has 26 shops, four passenger rest rooms and an office complex, purified drinking water and toilet facilities.

"The government is taking initiatives to improve facilities extended to the public in the Northern and Eastern Provinces with the conclusion of the war. Most of these public properties were destroyed by the terrorists under the guise of seeking liberation" he added.

The deputy minister added that massive development is taken place in the Eastern Province, including the Batticaloa District under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Better prices have been assured to the farmers who cultivate paddy.Additional facilities are also being provided for the fishermen to boost industry. Under the fisheries sector development initiatives, a new fisheries harbour cum fish market together with a fishing service centre complex was opened at Batticaloa. The government invested Rs 430 million for this project with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.

He further more facilities are being extended to the public by investing millions on such development activities.