Moves to increase SLTB buses

Irangika RANGE

The SLTB has planned to increase the existing fleet of buses up to 8,500 before the completion of the second term of office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 19 this year, Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake told the Daily News.

The government has allocated Rs 3,240 million for the SLTB for various purposes, including purchasing of 400 new buses from an Indian bus company and adding them to the existing fleet, repairing 500 ramshackle buses idling in depots, purchasing of 100 new engines and purchasing 100 new super luxury buses this year.

All these buses would be used on long and short distance services in both urban and rural, areas according to the commuters' requirements, he said.

On an initiative of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, steps have been taken to revive the SLTB which was not up to standard under the regime of the United National Party in 1977. The SLTB which had 12,000 buses in 1978, had been reduced to having 4,200 in 2005.

Considering the importance of reviving the public transport service for the benefit of the people, the present government has allocated a sufficient amount of money for the repair of thousands of abandoned buses, while purchasing new buses through the last year's budget, for the first time in history.