Extra bus fleet, trains for New Year holidays

Irangika Range

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and the Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) have deployed extra fleets of buses and additional train services during the forthcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year season for the benefit of passengers to travel to their villages.

This service is in addition to the regular bus services and train services from the Central Bus Stand (CBS), Pettah and the Fort and Maradana railway stations to provincial destinations.

This is been done on the instructions of Transport Minister Kumara Welgama.

“We have launched special bus services from the CBS and other points for the people living in distant areas to reach their destinations. A special bus service is also being operated for the benefit of passengers shopping in the city of Colombo and suburbs during the festive season without hindrance,” SLTB chairman Shashi Welgama said.

The chairman said over 4,500 additional buses will be deployed in addition to the existing fleet. The special bus service will be operated from April 5 to 17.

Meanwhile, SLTB will deploy special bus services from the Free Trade Zones of Katunayake , Biyagama, Nugegoda, Maharagama and Kiribathgoda today.

“We have made arrangements to provide this service without delay,” he said. “The service for the return journey to Colombo after the holidays will also be provided with equal efficiency.”

Meanwhile, SLR has taken measures to commence special train services during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period.

SLR Commercial Superintendent G W S Sisira Kumara said a special railway service will commence from April 5 to 21.

These special train services are due to leave for several destinations from Colombo Fort railway station and Maradana.

A special train service will operate from Colombo Fort to Badulla, Colombo Fort to Mahawa, Maradana to Kalutara South Maradana to Galle and Maradana to Matara.

He said a special train will operate from Colombo Fort to Badulla on April 5,7,11,13, 16, 18 and 20 at 7.20pm. The return journey will commence from Badulla to Colombo Fort on April 6, 8,10, 12, 15, 17, 19 and 21 at 5.20 pm.

A special train will also operate from Colombo Fort to Mahawa on April 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 at 1.25 pm and the return journey will commence from Mahawa to Colombo Fort at 5.11pm during the same period.

A special train will also be deployed from Maradana to Kalutara South on April 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,15 and 16 at 7.31am. The return journey will commence from Kalutara South to Maradana at 9.10 am during the same period.

Another special train will commence from Maradana to Galle on April 5,8,9,10,11,12,15 and 16 at 6.05am. The return journey will commence from Galle to Maradana at 11 am during the same period.

Two special trains will commence from Maradana to Matara on April 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,15 and 16 at 11.45 pm at 3.10pm and the return journey will commence from Matara to Maradana at 4.40pm and 7pm during the same period.

An S11 type double power set will be used for the Deyata Kirula intercity express train operating from Colombo Fort to Vavuniya from April 5 to12. Extra second class compartments will be fixed to the intercity express trains plying from Colombo Fort to Vavuniya and Colombo Fort to Batticaloa from April 5 - 17. Extra third class compartments will also be attached to the intercity express train plying from Colombo Fort to Trincomalee.