Private buses operating on Route No. 138 between Homagama and Pettah withdrew from service today (23), citing rising fuel prices.
Bus owners said they had requested the government to increase bus fares following three fuel price hikes in the past month, but since no action was taken, they decided to halt operations.
Drivers and conductors explained that the fuel price increases have led to daily losses of nearly Rs. 10,000, prompting owners to suspend services.
As a result, large numbers of passengers arriving at the Homagama main bus stand and the Makumbura Multi-Modal Centre in Kottawa today faced significant difficulties in meeting their travel needs.
To ease the situation, the Homagama Bus Depot deployed buses from alternate routes to cover operations along Route 138. (Newswire)