• Legal barrier over agreements delay use of built facility
• Thousands of buses facing difficulties in emission testing

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is still waiting to commence operations at the already constructed emission testing facilities due to a legal barrier over the agreements signed between the previous Government and a private company to conduct emission tests, SLTB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said. He told The Morning that the agreements signed between the two parties have mentioned that it is valid for five years since the day the agreement is announced, and till date, since the contract has not been announced by the Government, either by way of a gazette or notice, the SLTB cannot revoke the contract, Ranawaka stressed. As a result, the facilities, which have already been completed by the SLTB, are yet to commence operations, he stressed. When asked about the National Audit Office report which stated that around 6,000 buses had not undergone emission tests, the SLTB Chairman said he was not sure about the numbers but that they had requested the authorities to look at the possibility of starting the operation of the emission testing facilities built by the SLTB to conduct tests on its own buses at the very least. “We have built one facility per district. But due to the legal issue pertaining to the agreement, none of these facilities can be operated at present,” he added. He, however, noted that the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) was currently looking at the possibility of launching facilities to conduct emission tests for SLTB buses as per directions issued by the Ministry based on a request made by the Board.