Public transport service primed for election weekend -Amaraweera

The public transport system is gearing up to provide trouble free transport to a large number of commuters who are expected to travel to their respective hometowns during the up coming long week end when the Election’s are to be conducted, Power, Energy and Transport Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.

He anticipated the private bus operators to also fall in line and provide a efficient and responsible service to the public, he added.

Addressing the media at his office yesterday, Minister Amaraweera said the SLTB would be introducing 100 additional buses and private bus operators are expected to provide 600 buses for outstation routes from July 31st to facilitate the transport of passengers to their homes from Colombo. Additional trains are also to be introduced and if necessary the number of train journeys will also be increased.

“We expect a large number of commuters to use public transport as the holiday will run up to August 5th. We are determined to provide all of them with trouble free transport and also bring them back after the election,” Minister Amaraweera said.

He said the service will not bring any additional profit to the SLTB, SLR or to the private bus operators as the return trip will have to be made sans passengers. After the long week end the same will happen when buses and trains run to remote areas to bring them back. But the SLTB and the SLR do this as a service and not as a business, he stressed.

the SLTB would be introducing 100 additional buses and private bus operators are expected to provide 600 buses for outstation routes from July 31st