Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Mass Media, has unveiled a plan to return 50 out-of-service luxury buses to active duty within the next six months.
The discontinuation of these bus services has resulted in a daily income loss of 50 lakhs for the Sri Lankan Transport Board (SLTB). These buses, capable of generating a net profit exceeding one lakh rupees per day each, are currently parked at the Katubedda yard.
The Minister has emphasized the need for a dedicated program, following a special investigation, to facilitate the revival of these 50 buses within the remaining six-month timeframe. Dr. Bandula Gunawardena made this announcement during his visit to inspect the bus yard at the Katubedda High Luxury Travel Transport Service Institute, which is under the purview of the SLTB.
To expedite the process, Mr. Kushan Wagodopola, an engineer, has been appointed as a consultant responsible for swiftly addressing technical faults and procuring necessary spare parts for these buses. Presently, over fifty buses in this yard remain non-operational due to various technical issues and a lack of spare parts.
