The government has secured several buses free of charge as part of a procurement process to acquire low-floor buses for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) fleet, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr Prasanna Gunasena said.
He said 10 low-floor, disabled-access buses have already been received, with 100 more expected to be added under the Metro Bus Company established under the SLTB by August.
The Deputy Minister said each low-floor bus costs about Rs. 42 million, and that the procurement was carried out through a tender process based on the lowest bid while meeting all required specifications.
He added that after the tender process was completed, discussions were held with the supplier, during which the government requested additional buses free of charge instead of seeking personal benefits.
According to the Deputy Minister, the supplier agreed to provide four buses free of charge, each valued at about Rs. 42 million.
He said a further order for around 200 buses is expected to be finalised by the end of this week.
Dr Prasanna Gunasena said the initiative aims to benefit the public and improve public transport services. (NewsWire)