Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament that the government is preparing to introduce metro buses to Kandy as part of a broader package of transport sector improvements. 

Rathnayake noted that the ongoing expansion of the Central Expressway will extend to Galagedera, with plans to eventually connect the route to Gannoruwa. 

“The expansion ends at Galagedera with an expectation to commence Gannoruwa,” he said, outlining the long‑term vision for the corridor.

He added that work is underway to widen the Galagedera–Katugastota bridge and to construct two flyovers near the Peradeniya bridge. 

Renovation of the old Peradeniya bridge is expected to be completed before the end of this year, enabling trains to resume operations on the line.

He said the initiative is aimed at easing congestion and modernizing public mobility in the hill capital. (Newswire)

The post Minister outlines Metro Bus plans, key transport upgrades for Kandy appeared first on Newswire.

The Container Transport Owners’ Association announced today that container transport fares have been increased by 5%.

Association Chairman Sanath Manjula said container transport fares have been increased with effect from today, June 1.

He made the announcement while addressing the media today. (Newswire)

The post Container transport fares increased by 5% appeared first on Newswire.

The National Transport Commission (NTC), in collaboration with the Department of Railways and the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), has announced an integrated transport plan to facilitate passenger travel during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period from April 8 to 20, 2026.

According to the NTC, around 800 additional inter‑provincial bus journeys will be deployed daily under the supervision of the SLTB and the National Transport Commission. 

These services are expected to cater to the increased passenger demand travelling to destinations such as Matara, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Hatton, Monaragala, Embilipitiya, Chilaw, and Galle.

The Department of Railways has also arranged special train services from Colombo Fort station on existing routes, supplementing regular operations. 

Meanwhile, the Western Province Passenger Transport Authority has prepared buses centred on towns, including Nawinna, Gampaha, Kaduwela, Negombo, Avissawella, Panadura, Kadawatha, Kalutara, and Katunayake, to ease travel for passengers heading to villages.

Authorities expect nearly 1.5 million passengers to arrive at bus and railway terminals in Colombo and surrounding towns during the festive period. Sanitary facilities, security measures, and first aid services have been arranged at bus terminals, with officials assigned for special duties.

A 24‑hour operations centre and customer service unit have been established by the National Transport Commission, and passengers can contact the hotline 1955 or 0712595555 (WhatsApp) for assistance. 

Officials also confirmed that inspections will be carried out around the clock to prevent overcharging, ensure service quality, and safeguard passenger safety. (Newswire)

The post Special transport plan announced for New Year season appeared first on Newswire.

The fares charged for transporting schoolchildren will be increased by 5% due to the increase in diesel prices, the All Island Schoolchildren Transport Association Secretary, Lalith Chandrasiri, said.

Expressing views to the media today (10), he stated that although fuel prices were revised on several occasions, due to the prevailing situation in the country, no change was made to transport fares.

Accordingly, he said that the relevant fare revision will come into effect from today. (Newswire)

The post School transport service fares to increase by 5% appeared first on Newswire.

The Ministry of Transport, together with the Road Development Authority (RDA) and the Ministry’s Digital Task Force, has launched a new public web platform that allows citizens to report road-related issues across Sri Lanka.

Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the platform, accessible at https://road-lk.org, was introduced to address the lack of real-time information on road conditions such as closures, damage, accidents, and repair work. He noted that existing navigation applications used in Sri Lanka do not provide systematic updates on such issues, a gap that also exists in many other countries.

According to the minister, the initiative was developed in response to widespread road damage and closures following recent disasters, but is intended to remain useful even under normal conditions.

The system is based on public participation. Road users who encounter damaged roads, closures, or accidents can submit reports through the website at https://road-lk.org/report. Reports can be filed in Sinhala, Tamil, or English, and users are encouraged to upload photographs where possible.

Once a report is submitted, RDA officials will verify the information before marking the affected location on the national road map. Authority to update the system has also been extended to provincial road development authorities.

Rathnayake said public reporting is the most important source of information for the platform, given Sri Lanka’s population of more than 22 million. He added that, in the future, traffic police officers and divisional secretaries may also be granted access to mark road issues directly. Plans are also in place to include rural roads after the system is fully established for national and provincial road networks.

The platform is currently being implemented as a pilot project for several weeks and is expected to be made permanent thereafter.

The minister called on the public to actively report issues on national and provincial roads to support the initiative. (Newswire)

The post A new public platform to report road conditions : Transport Minister appeared first on Newswire.

The government expects to restore public transportation services to near-normal levels by December 31, according to Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake.

While achieving 100 percent restoration may be challenging, the minister said efforts are underway to resume bus operations on nearly all routes before the end of the year to help normalize daily life for the public. “We believe train services can resume up to Chilaw by the end of the month,” Rathnayake said during a visit to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depot in Chilaw.

He noted that the complete destruction of the Iranawila bridge had disrupted transport across the Puttalam District. “Work is already underway, and with support from the Indian government, we hope to install a Bailey bridge at the site by December 20,” he added.

The minister also stated that the Chilaw depot was the only SLTB facility submerged during the recent floods, resulting in damage to several buses. (Newswire)

The post Govt aiming to restore public transport services by Dec 31 appeared first on Newswire.

The newly imposed condition regarding the suspension of mineral (sand, etc.) transportation during school days from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. has been revised.

A public notice states that, under the revised condition, the decision was made in response to strong appeals from those in the construction industry. 

These appeals highlighted the severe impact of midday transport restrictions on construction operations, and the revision aims to ease the difficulties faced by industry professionals.

Accordingly, during the specified time periods, mineral transportation near schools and student crossing zones must be carried out under strict police supervision, with enforced speed limits on vehicles.

Therefore, starting yesterday (17), mineral transportation during school days within the time slots of 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. must comply with the revised conditions.

Observations have shown a rise in accidents involving school transport vehicles due to reckless driving during mineral transportation. As a result, the suspension of such transport during school hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., was in effect since September 04. (Newswire)

The post Mineral transport near schools : Rules revised appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake says the ministry expects to establish at least 50 multimodal transport centres by 2029.

Minister Rathnayake said plans are underway to establish 15 multimodal transport centres in Colombo by 2026.

He explained that the multimodal transport centres will be structured where bus, train and taxi can be obtained in one spot. 

Minister Rathnayake went on to note that the ministry’s aim is to improve several more bus stands, including in Colombo.

“We cannot develop the nation if we don’t improve the transportation sector,” he said. 

The transport minister made these remarks while addressing the event marking the launch of the renovation of the Colombo Central Bus Stand in Pettah. 

The programme was launched under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today. 

The Pettah Central bus stand is being renovated under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ national programme at an estimated cost of Rs. 425 million and is expected to be completed in 08 months. (Newswire)

The post Govt aims for 50 multimodal transport centres by 2029 appeared first on Newswire.

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has introduced a new mechanism to gather passenger feedback, suggestions, and complaints regarding public transportation.

According to SLTB Chief Executive Officer Mahesh Kulatilleke, the initiative is part of a broader plan aimed at ensuring safer and more efficient public transport services. 

Passengers who use SLTB services can now file complaints and share their suggestions through the following platforms:

• WhatsApp : 0704775030
• Hotline : 1958
• Website : www.sltb.lk or http://www.sltb.lk 

The initiative aims to enhance service quality by directly engaging with the public and addressing their concerns. (Newswire)

The post SLTB launches system to collect passenger feedback on public transport appeared first on Newswire.

Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake has appointed three sub-committees responsible to the Ministerial Consultative Committee for resolving problems prevailing in the transport sector.

Accordingly, these sub-committees are tasked with resolving issues in the transport sector through transport, environment, business, and people-friendly concepts.

These sub-committees have been appointed in accordance with the decision taken at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation held in January 2025.

The first sub-committee has been formed to ensure job security of workers engaged in the informal transport industry and to create professional recognition for workers engaged in the transport sector who are not formally organized. Accordingly, several issues, including the provision of contributions from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) for private bus drivers, conductors, three-wheeler drivers and those engaged in the transport sector through electronic applications (App Base Workers) will be examined. MPs Chandana Sooriyaarachchi (Chair), Jagath Vithana, Dinindu Saman and Dewananda Suraweera have been appointed as members of this sub-committee.

The Second Sub-committee has been established to guide the transport sector towards a productive direction by strengthening the legal framework associated with the transport sector. The objectives of this sub-committee is strengthening the legal framework associated with the transport sector, determining the direction of the transport sector in Sri Lanka in five years, giving special focus on problems faced by women and the community having disabilities in using modes of transport and proposing legal and administrative reforms towards the advancement of the transport sector.  MPs Lakmali Hemachandra (Chair), Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Thanura Dissanayake and Sujeewa Dissanayake have been appointed as members of this sub-committee.

The Third sub-committee has been appointed to formulate business models for creating additional services associated with the transport industry. This aims to develop areas linked with core aspirations of the transport sector using the available resources and to formulate business models for generating extra income through creating additional services. MPs Chathuranga Abeysinghe (Chair), Ravindra Bandara and Dhanushka Ranganath have been appointed as members of this sub-committee. (Newswire)

The post 3 new sub-committees to resolve problems in the transport sector appeared first on Newswire.

The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation has held key discussions on issues related to the conduct of Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus drivers, elephant-train collisions, and container congestion at the Colombo Port.

The Ministerial Consultative Committee met under the Chairmanship of Minister Bimal Rathnayake in Parliament recently (28 Feb), where these issues were discussed. 

Conduct of SLTB bus drivers;

Discussions were held at the Ministerial Consultative Committee regarding SLTB bus drivers who operate services while bypassing school children and citizens with a bus season ticket.

Minister Bimal Rathnayake stated that any citizen could report such incidents by calling 1958. He further emphasized his awareness of the said issue and assured that stringent measures would be taken against such misconduct. He also mentioned that SLTB drivers and conductors had been duly informed of the matter.

Elephant-train collisions : 

The minister expressed his concern regarding the lack of initiative from railway department officials in addressing the harm caused to elephants, despite the availability of technology. He pointed out with regret the incident where six elephants perished due to a train collision, calling it a deeply unfortunate occurrence. He expressed disappointment over the railway department officials in failing to utilize the GPS technology to mitigate such incidents and expressed his dissatisfaction over their inaction.

He also issued directives to the railway department officials to take all necessary measures to prevent such occurrences. 

In response, the officials stated that discussions were already underway and that immediate steps were being taken to address the issue. Additionally, an ad hoc Parliamentary Committee was established, comprising Members of Parliament, to formulate an efficient management system within the railway department.

Container congestion at the Colombo Port : 

Discussions also covered the issue of container congestion at the port, with the Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku briefing Members of Parliament on the steps taken to address the matter.

The Deputy Minister said to mitigate the delays caused by containers being held at the port, additional staff has been swiftly recruited. To alleviate congestion within the port, approximately two acres of land in the Bloemendhal area had been allocated to customs for vehicle parking. He further highlighted that the Port Community System, which is a digital technology initiative, had been launched as a long-term and sustainable solution.

Other matters;

The Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority for the year 2023, along with the Annual Report of Jaya Container Terminals Limited for the year 2023, was reviewed and approved during the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting.

A progress review was presented by the chairpersons of the three subcommittees appointed under the Ministerial Consultative Committee to seek legal and administrative solutions for issues related to transport, highways, ports, and civil aviation. (Newswire)

The post Transport services : Decisions on three key matters appeared first on Newswire.

A Singapore court has sentenced a former minister to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and receiving more than $300,000 worth of gifts in the Asian city-state’s first political corruption trial for nearly half a century.

S Iswaran, who was a cabinet member for 13 years and has held the trade, communications and transport portfolios, pleaded guilty last week to four counts of improperly receiving gifts and one of obstructing justice.

The sentence handed down on Thursday was more severe than the six to seven months sought by the prosecution, which presiding judge Vincent Hoong said was “manifestly inadequate” given the gravity of Iswaran’s offences and their impact on public trust.

“Trust and confidence in public institutions were the bedrock of effective governance, which could all too easily be undermined by the appearance that an individual public servant had fallen below the standards of integrity and accountability,” he said in sentencing Iswaran.

The case has shocked Singapore, which prides itself on having a well-paid and efficient bureaucracy as well as strong and squeaky-clean governance. It was among the world’s top five least corrupt countries last year, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

The last cabinet minister charged with corruption was Wee Toon Boon, who was found guilty in 1975 and jailed for accepting gifts in exchange for helping a businessperson. Another cabinet minister was investigated for bribery in 1986 but died before charges were filed.

The investigation of Iswaran, 62, caused a stir in the Asian financial hub and centred on allegations that, while transport minister, he accepted expensive gifts from businessmen that included tickets to English Premier League football matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals and a ride on a private jet.

The value of those totalled more than $400,000 Singapore dollars ($308,880), according to the prosecution.

Iswaran faced a huge media scrum as he arrived in court on Thursday and declined to answer questions. He showed no emotion during the court session.

The judge allowed him to remain on bail for the next few days and begin his jail term on Monday.

Iswaran had initially said he was innocent and would fight to clear his name but pleaded guilty last week to the five charges put before the court.

The former minister faced a total of 35 charges, two of which were corruption-related but were later amended to charges of receiving gifts while a public servant.

The attorney general’s chambers last week said they made amendments because of litigation risks involved in proving the corruption charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Iswaran was arrested in July last year and was accused of taking kickbacks from businessmen including property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Iswaran was an adviser to the Singapore Grand Prix’s steering committee, while Ong owns the rights to the race.

Ong has not been charged with any offence and has issued no public comment on the allegations. The attorney general’s chambers last week said it would decide whether to take action against Ong soon.

Judge Hoong in his ruling said there was a higher level of culpability when a public servant holds high office that wields greater influence over business transactions.

His trial comes just over four months after Singapore installed new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong after Lee Hsien Loong stepped down after 20 years.

It also risks damaging the reputation of the ruling People’s Action Party before general elections expected to be held by November next year. (Al Jazeera)

The post Singapore’s ex-transport minister jailed for 12 months in landmark ruling appeared first on Newswire.

The National Election Commission has announced the protocol to obtain transportation services for persons with physical disabilities to cast their ballots in the 2024 Presidential Election. 

Issuing a statement, the Election Commission said the application for transportation services can be made by the individual himself/ herself, or by any other person on behalf of the said individual. 

The applications for the transportation service can be obtained from the District Election Office, Divisional Secretariat, Grama Niladhari Office or via www.elections.gov.lk 

Filled applications are required to be handed over to the relevant District Returning Officer or Deputy or Assistant Commissioner of Elections of the district on or before seven days of the election, i.e. September 14, 2024. 

Applicants have been advised to attach a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner with the filled application, confirming the applicant’s need for special transportation, for the convenience of the election officers.

The 2024 Presidential Election is scheduled for 21 September 24, with 38 candidates contesting. (Newswire)

The post Presidential Election : Notice for persons with physical disabilities appeared first on Newswire.

Several special public transportation services have been introduced for the convenience of pilgrims visiting the Mihintale Temple in view of Poson Poya, observed on Friday (June 21). 

Accordingly, Sri Lanka Railways today launched a free train service from Anuradhapura to Mihintale. 

The train, which was inaugurated under the aegis of Minister of Transportation Bandula Gunawardena, will be free of charge for the public during this period. 

Due to the unfinished railway track maintenance between Mahawa and Anuradhapura, special bus services have been introduced for pilgrims arriving from Colombo to travel to Mihintale.

According to the Transportation Ministry, 400 additional buses have been deployed to operate between Mahawa Railway Station and Anuradhapura. 

The National Pososn Week commences tomorrow (June 18) and will continue until the following Monday (June 24). 

The Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has organized several events for Poson Poya centred around Anuradhapura, Mihintale, and Thanthrimale. (Newswire)

The post Special public transportation arrangements for Poson Poya appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka Police is to initiate strict action against dilapidated buses and vans used to transport school children.

Police Traffic Unit Chief ASP Manoj Ranagala made the announcement while addressing the media on Wednesday (Oct 26).

He said a survey had been conducted with the assistance of several Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG) during which the said vehicles were inspected.  

ASP Ranagala said it was found that most buses operating as school transport service are buses that have been removed from passenger transport service due to their unusable condition. 

Stating that vans used for school services are also the same, ASP Ranagala said that there is very poor maintenance due to which strict measures should be taken in this regard.

Following a survey conducted with the assistance of motor inspectors, prohibitory orders were issued in this regard, he said. 

Stressing that this was a serious issue, ASP Ranagala said innocent lives are lost due to the lack of safety measures. (NewsWire)

The post School transport service : Stringent action against dilapidated buses & vans appeared first on Newswire.