Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena says the Government plans to expand the Metro bus fleet to 500 buses by 2029, with services set to extend beyond Colombo to other districts.
Speaking at an event, Gunasena said 104 new Metro buses have already arrived in the country and are expected to begin operations by September.
He said the new fleet, together with 10 Metro buses already in operation and seven buses received from Japan, would enable the launch of a 121-bus “Colombo Metro Urban Luxury” service.
According to the Deputy Minister, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed that the Metro bus project should not be limited to Colombo and should be expanded to other parts of the country.
Gunasena said the Government has pledged funding to increase the Metro bus fleet to 500 by 2029, with Jaffna expected to be among the first major districts outside Colombo to benefit from the project.
He also urged public officials to ensure that capital expenditure allocations are fully utilised and that development projects, including road construction, are completed within the planned timeframe.
“Public funds belong to the people, and there is neither a practical nor a moral right to delay projects,” Gunasena said, adding that political representatives would continue to monitor the timely completion of development initiatives. (Newswire)