State sector transport service back to normal from Monday

• Hope the private transport sector will follow suit

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The national transport system will return to normal from Monday with the deploying of all trains and SLTB buses countrywide, Transport Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said adding that he hoped the private bus operators would follow suit.   

The decision was taken yesterday at a discussion held at the Transport Ministry chaired by the minister with the participation of the senior officials of the Transport Ministry, National Transport Commission, Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) and the SLTB.   

It was revealed at the discussion that 5,300 SLTB buses and 23,000 private buses on the road were not sufficient to supply a comfortable service to the public. Therefore, the minister had instructed officials to register all buses in the waiting list and put buses used for pilgrimages and leisure trips on the road as the buses would have to accommodate passengers only on seating capacity with no standing passengers.   

SLR officials pointed pout that there were only 25,000 seats on all trains for 147,000 rail commuters resulting in the minister directing that train services be increased to 140 a day.   

However, the minister said national transport system will operate under the guidelines issued by the health and security authorities.   

It was revealed at the discussion that 5,300 SLTB buses and 23,000 private buses on the road were not sufficient to supply a comfortable service to the public