The introduction of a monthly route permit renewal system for passenger buses operating in the Western Province has created serious difficulties for the private bus industry, the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) says.

Association Chairman, Gemunu Wijeratne, said the Road Passenger Transport Authority of the Western Province had taken steps to replace the annual route permit renewal system with a monthly renewal process, effective from the first of this month.   

Wijeratne made these remarks to the media after lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) over the decision.