Three schoolchildren and a school bus driver sustained minor injuries when a private bus transporting students collided with an SLTB bus on the Colombo–Kataragama main road this morning amid heavy rain.

The Police stated that the accident occurred near a garment factory at Polgahamullla, Dikwella. 

The school bus had been travelling from Ambalantota, while the SLTB bus was heading towards Kataragama.

The injured students and the driver have been admitted to the hospital for treatment.

The Dikwella Police have launched further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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Four schoolchildren sustained minor injuries this morning (28) when a bus transporting students from the Ranikadu area to schools in Bogawantalawa town met with an accident.

According to the Police, the incident occurred around 7.30 am when the private bus suffered a sudden mechanical fault in its braking system. 

In an attempt to stop the vehicle, the driver steered it into a soil embankment along the main road.

The four injured students were rushed to the Bogawantalawa Regional Hospital, while another 25 students were admitted due to shock following the incident.

Bogawantalawa Police have launched investigations into the accident. (Newswire)

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Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Madhura Senevirathna says more than 200 new buses are to be added to the “Sisu Sariya” school bus service this year.

Speaking at a media briefing held today (12), together with officials of the National Transport Commission, the Deputy Minister said the move is part of a broader program to strengthen and expand the school bus service in 2026. 

He emphasized that the government has allocated nearly one billion Rupees to ensure the safe transport of schoolchildren, enabling them to attend school without physical or mental strain.

Officials of the National Transport Commission, including Chairman Engineer P.A. Chandrapala and Planning Director Aloka Karunaratne, highlighted that several new measures are already underway to further organize the service. 

These include removing legal barriers to standardize private school transport, introducing regulations on vehicle standards, driver qualifications, and assistant staff.

The Commission also invited private bus owners and small‑scale safe vehicle operators to join the program, informing that those interested can express their willingness to the nearest transport board or SLTB office.

They further said that if there are students facing transport difficulties, principals can inform the relevant institutions so that facilities can be provided. (Newswire)

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Pakistan cricketer Salman Mirza has sent a legal notice to broadcaster ARY Communications and journalist Shahid Hashmi over what he says were false allegations aired about him during the team’s stay in Sri Lanka.

In the notice dated March 12, Mirza’s lawyers said ARY News broadcast a report on March 5 alleging that the player had misbehaved with a female staff member at the team hotel in Kandy. The report also claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board had fined Mirza over the alleged incident.

Mirza has denied the allegations, with his legal team describing the report as false, baseless and defamatory.

The notice states that the Pakistan Cricket Board also rejected the claims through its official X account, calling the report “agenda-driven fake news” targeting the character of its players.

Mirza’s lawyers have demanded that ARY News and Hashmi immediately retract the report from all platforms and issue a clear and unconditional apology.

The notice also seeks damages of 100 million Pakistani rupees for alleged harm caused to Mirza’s reputation and goodwill.

The legal notice says court action will be pursued if the demands are not met within seven days. (Newswire)

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The driver of a ‘Sisuseriya’ school bus has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol while transporting a group of children in the Katupotha area last afternoon.

According to the Police, the man was arrested during an inspection conducted by the Katupotha Police to detect traffic violations. 

The Police said at the time of the arrest, 16 school children and two mothers were in the bus, adding that the bus had been taken into Police custody. 

The driver, a 52-year-old resident of Katupotha, was arrested yesterday and is due to be produced before the Narammala Magistrate’s Court today. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet has approved a proposal to allocate Rs. 202 million from the fund generated by the National Transport Commission (NTC) to commence 500 new Sisusariya services in 2024.

The Sisusariya service was initiated by the NTC in 2005 to provide a reliable bus service under a subsidized fare system for school children to reach their schools without any mental or physical inconvenience and to return home safely after school. 

Currently, under this project, 1537 services are provided, including the transportation of students by Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and private buses covering all the districts in Sri Lanka. Transport facilities are provided for about a hundred thousand students per day. 

Under this project, since students are only charged half of the bus fare, a subsidy payment will be paid to the rider for reimbursement of the loss for a maximum of 110 Km. 

However, the demand for obtaining the Sisusariya service has increased by economically deprived parents and students who cannot obtain private transport facilities due to an increase in fuel prices. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport and Highways to allocate money from the fund generated by the NTC to commence 500 new Sisusariya services during this year. (Newswire)

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