News
Passengers in a tight spot due to the fuel crisis; fewer buses on the roads
View(s):Over crowded public transport now the norm, as many hang off foot boards for their lives and livelihoods
By Sohan Vipulananda
The people continue to face inconveniences while using public transport. Some people have to walk to their offices, others ride bicycles and some travel in overcrowded buses or trains.
The imposition of a sudden curfew on Thursday aggravated the situation as many were stranded in Colombo, with no buses and trains to get home.
Overcrowded buses and trains. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Private offices requested some staff to continue to work from home while public offices remained closed in most sectors.
Private Bus Owners Association President Gamanu Wijeratne said he believed it would take time to resolve the fuel crisis.
Mr.Wijeratne also said a main reason for the fuel crisis in the country was the continuous loss of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). The CPC also made losses with the Indian Credit Line which was obtained earlier, he added.
“Bus owners have faced severe loss by breakage of foot boards due to the overload of passengers, because the number of bus trips have reduced,” Mr.Wijeratne said.
If fuel for buses are supplied this weekend, Mr.Wijeratne said 50% of the buses will operate from next week onwards.
Bus and railway services also increased the price of ticket fares because of the increase in fuel prices.
The minimum ticket fare in buses is currently Rs. 40. Earlier it was Rs. 32. Railway ticket prices also increased recently. The minimum fare is Rs. 30. Earlier it was Rs.10.
Nowadays it is a common sight to see people hanging off the foot boards of buses and trains–risking their lives–because bus trips have been limited to 10%.
A. Prashanth, a Colombo resident, said bus and train drivers were not being provided a regular supply of fuel, which had led them to limit the number of trips.
He suggested that buses and trains should be provided with adequate fuel to aid public transport.
Mr Prashanth also said he spent nearly four days in the queue to pump petrol for his vehicle last week but was able to pump only a few litres due to the shortage of fuel in the country.
“Before the fuel shortage travelling by public transport was tiring but now it has become even more problematic to travel by bus or train,” A Borella resident said.
He also said private buses were now permitted to pump fuel from Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus depots but the number of buses on the roads had not increased.
Meanwhile some people who had travelled to Colombo by train this week, were left stranded for hours waiting for connecting buses.
“I reached Colombo at 9.00 a.m after taking a train from Gampaha, and was trying to get transport to Moratuwa. But I had to wait for one hour to get a connecting bus,” said private sector employee Anuruddhika Smarasinghe.
An employee of a private institute said she had walked about three kilometres from Fort to reach her office on the Galle road as she was unable to find a bus or a three wheeler.
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