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Government and private bus owners to discuss resuming services

14 Sep 2021

  • Keheliya, Dilum Amunugama, Gemunu Wijeratne to hold talks
By Buddhika Samaraweera A discussion is to be held today (15) between the Governmental authorities and private bus owners and operators regarding the resumption of private bus services once the ongoing quarantine curfew lockdown status in the country is lifted.  The discussion is to be held between Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, the Vehicle Regulation, State Minister of Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry and Community Police Services Dilum Amunugama, and Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne today to discuss as to how bus services should be resumed after the reopening of the country. Speaking to The Morning, Wijeratne said that after reopening the country, action should be taken to identify Covid-19 high-risk areas and to make available such information to the Transport Ministry on a weekly basis. He added that appropriate guidelines should be prepared taking into account the situation in each province. “Currently, the Western Province is a high-risk area as far as Covid-19 is concerned. Therefore, only 50% of the passenger capacity should be transported by buses operating in such areas, while in other areas, passengers can be transported according to the number of seats. Also, since the bus owners would be running at a loss when only 50% of passengers are transported in provinces such as the Western Province, bus fares should be increased by a certain amount, temporarily,” he noted. Speaking further, Wijeratne confirmed that he is scheduled to meet Rambukwella and Amunugama today to discuss these matters. Meanwhile, Western Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority Chairman Prasanna Sanjeewa had recently told the media that from October onwards, those without a Covid-19 vaccination card would not be allowed to board buses. He said that mobile inspectors of the Authority would regularly check if passengers possessed vaccination cards, and added that it was the responsibility of the bus conductors to allow only those with such cards to board the buses. However, the Health Ministry has recently stated that if it is to be made mandatory for people to bring a vaccination card to confirm that they have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccines when visiting public places, those who are unable to obtain the Covid-19 vaccines due to health-related reasons should also be given a special card stating so. Commenting on this, Wijeratne added that in high-risk areas, even those who have been vaccinated should be transported only on a one-person-per-seat basis. “Even if someone has been vaccinated, they can still spread the virus to another person. Therefore, only 50% of the seating capacity should be utilised until the situation in high-risk areas gets back to normal,” he further noted. Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Transport Ministry Secretary Monti Ranatunga, and Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara were unavailable for comment on the matter. Attempts to contact Health Ministry Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General, and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath to inquire if the Health Ministry has planned to issue some sort of document for those unable to obtain the vaccines due to health concerns also proved futile. Taking into account the rapid spread of Covid-19 and the increase in the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, on 20 August, declared a lockdown status till 30 August and it was then extended till 6 September. At a meeting attended by high level Government officials on 10 September, the lockdown status was again extended till 21 September. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry recently accused the transport authorities of not having formulated a plan to operate public transport services in accordance with the Covid-19-related health guidelines after the reopening of the country, even though it is essential to do so in order to prevent a further spread of Covid-19. Dr. Herath recently told The Morning that if the country is to be reopened, a formal plan should be formulated to operate public transport services in line with health guidelines, such as maintaining the one metre social distance.  

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