reduce number of vehicles entering Colombo - NBRO

• Curfew has resulted in very few vehicles operating on streets and most factories being closed

By Indika Sri Aravinda   

A proposal has been submitted to the Government through the Ministry of Environment, to reduce the number of vehicles entering Colombo.   

The proposal has been made by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO).  

NBRO Senior Scientist Sarath Premasiri told Daily Mirror that in order to continue with reduced air pollution in Colombo there needs to be a reduction in the number of vehicles operating on the city roads.  
He said that at present there are approximately over 400,000 vehicles operating in Colombo daily.  
Premasiri said the Government has been urged to reduce the number of vehicles in the city and to grow more trees.   

Since March 15 air pollution over Colombo and the suburbs has dropped by between 70-80 percent. This is mainly as a result of the curfew enforced in Colombo owing to the spread of the coronavirus.   

The curfew has resulted in very few vehicles operating on the streets and most factories being closed. Premasiri said that vehicles and factories have caused extensive damage to the environment in Colombo.   

He said that some 200,000 vehicles enter the city from the outskirts on a daily basis while another 200,000 are in Colombo. The Government has been urged to place more emphasis on improving public transport in future to ensure the public switch to using public transport as opposed to using their own vehicles.