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Protesters go at MP Rasamanickam over checking bus permits

18 July 2023 10:52 am - 12 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Heated arguments arose between the bus owners and Batticaloa District Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rasamanickam soon after he instructed the authorities to check bus route permits with the help of the Police yesterday.

The Bus Owners' Association of Batticaloa said the MP was invited for an open discussion on the bus route permits and to expose the corruption involved when operating buses.

During the discussion, the MP proposed to have checkpoints with the help of the area Police to check route permits for the buses operating in and out of Batticaloa.

Earlier, several protests were held in Batticaloa against operating buses without valid route permits, the association said.

They said several people attempted to attack the MP when he tried to comment on corruption and the official involved.

The association member said the recent Manampitiya bus accident also involved a bus driven without a valid route permit and speeding when it crashed, which resulted in the death of 11.

"The officers attached to the Transport Authority and the Police have not checked the bus route permits in the area during the past eight years," the bus owners said.

"Only four buses out of ten have valid route permits,” they said.

“Shortly after the announcement, the bus owners with the route permits rose against the MP and tried to attack him," an association official said.

They claimed that the Colombo-Batticaloa route permit costs more than Rs. 10 million and they cannot afford it.

Many buses operate between Batticaloa and Kaduruwela without route permits, the association said. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)

Comments - 12

joshua Tuesday, 18 July 2023 11:19 AM

Way to go Mr Rasamanickam. Stop all illegal buses running without permits

Nirmal Tuesday, 18 July 2023 11:25 AM

This country is going to bad to worse every day. Corruption, mismanagement, thuggery, robberies, murders, illegal recruitment etc go on uninterrupted. At least this MP is trying to see it first hand on the ground. Yet, these people call the country very religious and have 12 days in the year as Poya Days and so many as other religious days as holidays. Where in the hell is this country is going to get out out of this mess?

Shiran Tuesday, 18 July 2023 11:39 AM

Corruption, Mafia. The root cause of all our problems. When will we control corruption and move forward?

Concerned Tuesday, 18 July 2023 11:44 AM

Hats off to you Mr. R. One brave young man fighting a lone battle to SAVE LIVES! while the relevant authorities are in deep slumber.

Gihan Tuesday, 18 July 2023 11:53 AM

way forward is malimawa....

Usual corrupt practices, SLTB has to put in busses even if running at losses Tuesday, 18 July 2023 12:02 PM

20 years of corrupt practices since the war against Prabakaren was started. How many MPs will be killed by bus mafia before private buses put out of business? SLTB should put more busses in, as even if not profitable they can be safer.

Im not Racist. Tuesday, 18 July 2023 12:10 PM

Of course Mr.Sanakkiyan will be cornered just because he is Tamil, and for trying to do the right thing, No wonder.

Gamini Tuesday, 18 July 2023 03:03 PM

Atleast there is one MP in SL who is trying to do the correct thing even though it may back fire, without thinking of vote bank politics Hats off to you Rasamanicam

Saliya Tuesday, 18 July 2023 03:04 PM

why would a route permit cost Rs.10 million. This is a rip off

Mano kumar Tuesday, 18 July 2023 03:49 PM

The guy in the pink T shirt is heard saying the Batticalia OIC gets bribe. This is the bane of our society. A judiciary that clears all the corrupt parliamentarians by dragging the case for 10 years, the top brass of the forces that protect the corrupt parliamentarians. All three of these vital organ of our country has become a cess put

Bus owner mafia group in action attacking MP Tuesday, 18 July 2023 06:40 PM

The private bus owners want to do things without permits as much as possible to maximize permits. Sr Lanka is in utter hell of lawlessness with private business intent to do things anyway possible as well as weakening state sector whether hospitals or transport.

Sambo Tuesday, 18 July 2023 08:02 PM

Of course the that ply on the roads should have valid permits. What's becoming of this unruly country. cannot have the rules the way each and every one wants.

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Protesters go at MP Rasamanickam over checking bus permits

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