Sri Lanka’s transportation system gets a major upgrade
The government has started work on overhauling the entire transportation system of the country to make it more efficient and economical for Sri Lankans.
In this effort, the Ministry of Transport and Highways is launching development activities at Jaffna International Airport, (Palali Airport), and introduce low-bed passenger buses by September and to solicit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for West Container Terminal Two (WCT-II) and Colombo North Port.
The plan is to refurbish all 16 domestic airports to encourage domestic flights, Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Ratnayake told The Sunday Times Business recently. Sri Lanka has domestic operators such as Cinnamon Air, DP Aviation, Daya Aviation, FITS Aviation, Fly Southern, and IWS Aviation etc.
The government is planning to introduce a modern, comfortable fleet of advanced buses on a pilot basis in Colombo city, Mr. Ratnayake said. “The initiative will deploy 100 air-suspension, low-floor buses along three main road corridors, with a budget of Rs. 3,000 million. The Sri Lanka Transport Board will contribute 200 low-bed passenger buses through its own funds.”
The buses will be operated by Metro Bus Company, a fully digitised platform, enhancing the public transportation experience for commuters, he said noting that the low-bed buses will be operated through a digital card which will be a touch and go system. “All reservations will be done online.” He also noted that the management structure of the
Sri Lanka Transport Board will be restructured.
Mr. Ratnayake said EOIs for the WCT-II project aims to attract 10 largest shipping lines in the world on a public private partnership basis. It will expand the existing western breakwater and create a south harbour basin with a quay wall of 3.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The Port of Colombo will have a 2600-2800-metre straight quay wall and a dedicated land area for logistics facilities. The Asian Development Bank is providing funds for the detail design exercise for WCT-II, estimated at US$5 million. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority aims to commence operations of WCT-II before 2030 to prevent capacity crunch and potential business loss after 2028. The proposed North Port of Colombo consists of three container terminals, a multi-purpose terminal, two oil berths, and logistics/warehousing space. The plan is, to make it a dream port, Mr. Ratnayake said.
Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!