Needs immediate attention as it’s in a dilapidated condition

Panadura main SLTB bus stand has been in a dilapidated condition since long due to lack of repairs and maintenance much to the inconvenience of the public.

The public pointed out that tens of thousands of people board buses en route to Colombo, Kandy, Ratnapura, Galle , Horana , Bandaragama, Kalutara, Newdawa, Kiriberiya, Mahawila , Rukgaha, and Hirana. They said the bus stand had turned into a muddy pool during the recent rains and they were exposed to rain due to roof leaks. The passengers pointed out that they could not stand in the queue due to the heavy down pour of storm water from the broken down gutters.

A passenger from Ingiriya, and a petty trader in Panadura town who travel between Ingiriya and Panadura daily by bus expressed concern about the sad state of the Panadura main bus stand.

“A part of the roof in the bus stand is on the verge of collapse and the iron railings in platforms broken down. Thousands of passengers who arrive to Panadura town or take buses to several distant areas and on by-routes are facing hardship for want of basic facilities including water and toilets at the SLTB bus stand. The buildings in the main bus stand are in a dilapidated and unhygienic condition. Storm water drains around the bus stand have broken down and the road between the filling station and the bus stand goes under water due to the overflow of the drains. Passengers standing in the queues are exposed to storm water pouring down the edge of the roof for want of gutters.” he said.

“A school teacher from Newdawa area Shreeni De Silva travelling daily to Moratuwa in the morning to report for duty and back in the afternoon pointed out that the repairs to the Panadura SLTB bus stand was a long felt need. She

A part of the roof in the bus stand is on the verge of collapse and the iron railings in platforms broken down

said it was sad that the bus stand used by SLTB buses and private busses on several routes had been neglected in this manner turning it into an eyesore in the town.

“Another problem facing us is the poor bus services. Every bus on short distance routes keep on idling for more than 45 minutes until the bus is full to its capacity. We notice that quite often the buses start with more passengers standing and hanging onto the footboards than those sitting. The conductors attempt to squeeze in more passengers on the way regardless of its inconvenience to the passengers. Travelling on footboards is going on unchecked” Shreeni said.

A resident of Panadura town Pathmasiri Pemmawadu (50) said the plan to shift the bus stand to another location had been abandoned.

“Recently the media had reported that the Urban Council was taking step to shift the SLTB bus stand to the new bus stand at the Horana road junction, but it has not yet been implemented. The history of the bus stand runs as far back as the early 1950s when the Galle-colombo bus service was run by the South Western Bus Company. The bus stand had not been improved in keeping with the increasing passenger population. Bus stand is just another public untidy service that has been neglected for decades” he said.

The public requested the Panadura Urban Council and the SLTB to look into the urgent of effecting improvements to the main bus stand with a dequate facilities.