BY Buddhika Samaraweera
Amidst reports of a conflict that has arisen between private bus owners’ associations and the National Transport Commission (NTC) following a discussion between the two on Wednesday (10) regarding the recent bus fare revision, the All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association (ACPBOA) stated that the conflict was not due to the reduction of bus fares, but due to the NTC’s alleged refusal to provide information related to the fare revision in the Sinhala language to bus owners.
Speaking to the media yesterday (11), ACPBOA President Anjana Priyanjith said: “During the discussion, we requested the NTC to provide us with information related to the recent bus fare revision. Following such requests, the NTC officials gave us the information, but only in English. At that time, the bus owners requested that it be given in Sinhala too. What we simply meant was that we are not proficient in English, so we required the information in Sinhala.”
However, he claimed, when the relevant information was requested in Sinhala by the bus owners, the NTC officials had refused to comply, saying that they were not bound to do so. This, Priyanjith said, has resulted in the conflict between the bus owners and the NTC officials, adding that it had not been over the recent reduction of bus fares.
He also said that private buses are now charging passengers the revised fares.
It was reported that following a discussion between the NTC officials and private bus owners regarding the recent revision of bus fares, the bus owners had behaved violently and threatened the NTC officials, including threats against their lives. A complaint in that regard was reportedly lodged with the Narahenpita Police by NTC Chairman Dr. Nilan Miranda. Minister of Transport Dr. Bandula Gunawardana had also instructed the Transport Ministry Secretary R.W. Pemasiri to conduct an internal investigation into the incident.
The NTC reduced the minimum bus fare from Rs. 38 to Rs. 34, and other bus fares by 11.4%, considering the fact that the compulsory carriage of passengers according to the number of seats introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic period is no longer valid, and the recent reduction in the price of a litre of diesel by Rs. 10, with effect from 4 August. In July, the NTC had decided to decrease the minimum bus fare from Rs. 40 to Rs. 38, and decrease the other fares by 2.23%, considering the reduction of the price of a litre of Auto Diesel by Rs. 20, and the price of a litre of Super Diesel by Rs. 10.
Private bus owners demand Sinhala info
12 Aug 2022
Private bus owners demand Sinhala info
12 Aug 2022
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