Another phase of the program to provide 500 new buses under the Indian Credit Line to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) to strengthen public transport services on rural roads in the country was launched at Kurunegala yesterday.
 Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena and North Western Province Governor Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena presenting the buses at the ceremony. |
Fifty-four new buses worth over Rs. 550 million were distributed to 12 SLTB depots in Kurunegala under the patronage of the Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena.
Minister Gunawardena said of the 500 buses received by the country under the Indian Credit Line, Kurunegala received the highest number of buses. In the face of the economic crisis and many inconveniences, these buses were obtained to streamline the facilities of school students, elders and Government employees who are increasingly using public transport services. Dr. Gunawardena said a proper solution to an economic crisis cannot be provided by political boasting carried out with political goals in mind. The Government is implementing a systematic program.
Countries such as India, Japan, France and organisations such as the Paris Club which provides support to Sri Lanka at all times, are constantly discussing it and taking measures. There should be a formal reorganisation of Government institutions to resolve the problems faced by the country. For that, we should work with a goal to bring those institutions to a standard where they do not incur losses by checking corruption and irregularities, he said.
Recently, the sudden raids and investigations conducted countrywide revealed many financial irregularities in SLTB buses daily. “We are expediting legal action against those involved in such financial irregularities.”
As an experiment, it was possible to get an additional income of about Rs. 580,000 per day by implementing a system of issuing tickets at the beginning of the journey without conductors in the buses of the Southern Expressway.
“I believe that the income of the SLTB can be increased by a large amount in a very short period of time by further formalising such measures and converting to a digital system. For that, I call upon the staff to work with dedication. The responsibility of protecting this institution owned by the nation is assigned to all of you,” the Minister added.
North Western Province Governor Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister of Livestock Development D.B. Herath, MPs Samanpriya Herath and Ms. Manjula Dissanayake were also present.