Transport Ministry increases buses, train services for the Avurudu season

The Transport Ministry today (Apr 09) announced that a special transportation plan is being put in place which would  include additional train services and buses to be introduced from tomorrow in line with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, convening a news conference today declared that 65 additional train services, 1500 buses belonging to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and 600 private buses would be introduced to facilitate transportation until April 22.

He explained that additional train services would primarily operate from Fort to Badulla, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Jaffna, and Kurunegala. The train which generally operates from Colombo to Vauniya will also run up to Jaffna, Mr. Ranatunga said.

While pointing out that 1350 buses would operate according to a fixed time schedule, the Transport Minister said that a maximum amount of buses would be deployed for transportation during the next 12 days.

In addition, the number of private buses which operate from the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station has been increased upto 2800 from 2200 with the intervention of the National Transport Commission.

Further, Minister Ranatunga called on the general public to call 1955 regarding any issues pertaining to transportation.