More trains and buses for the New Year: Arjuna

About 1,500 Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses, 2,800 private buses and 65 extra trains would be assigned to ease the burden for people who are travelling back to their villages before the New Year, Transport Minister Arjuna Ranatunga revealed.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror at the Ministry, he said the new transport plan would begin today and operate till April 22.

The 65 extra trains would be assigned between Colombo-badulla, Colombo-kalutara, Colombo-galle, ColomboMatara, Colombo-jaffna and Colombo-kurunegala. The Ministry had decided to extend the train service which operates between Colombo and Vanuniya up to Jaffna.

“1,350 extra timetabled buses would be assigned for this purpose by the SLTB in addition to the 6,000 buses operated on a daily basis. The number of private buses too had been increased from 2,600 to 2,800 while increasing the bus journeys to 600,” the minister said.

The bus service would operate in the same way to bring people back to Colombo upto April 22.

Strict actions would be taken against errant bus owners and operators who overcharge commuters for travel during this period and passengers so affected were requested to contact the transport ministry hotline-1955- to complain if such a situation occurs.

“If such complaints are received, the ministry would conduct special investigations and the result would lead to suspending the immediate suspension of the route permit of the relevant bus,” the minister added.

The number of bus operations on the expressways had also been increased to assist commuters using them during the New Year. Additionally, Rs.100 of toll charges would not be assigned to bus services on the expressway during this period.