- P’ment sub-comm. discusses vehicle specifications to develop transport safety including with pvt. buses
The Ministry of Transport and Highways stated that priority is being given to road safety and that separate Budgetary provisions will be allocated from next year (2026) for the Road Safety Development Programme.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Secretary to the Ministry, Prof. Kapila Perera, said that the initiative, which has now been broadened from “road safety” to “transport safety development” will cover all aspects of passenger, vehicle, and road safety.
“A Parliamentary sub-committee has also been appointed for this, and even vehicle specifications are being discussed. Separate budgetary provisions will be allocated for this programme from next year,” he said.
He also said that they were working closely with the private sector and receiving suggestions from them to improve road safety and prevent accidents. “We are having regular discussions with the private sector, particularly private bus associations. They have proposed various measures. We will study them and implement all possible measures. There is no issue about financial provisions. We prioritise road safety.”
The announcement comes in the wake of a sharp increase in road accidents across the country, the most recent being the tragedy in Ella on 5 September, when a private bus veered off the road and plunged down a precipice, eventually killing 16 passengers and injuring several others.
On an earlier occasion, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said that in response to the rising number of fatalities and injuries, an action plan prepared collectively by 16 line institutions would be rolled out within the coming months.
The relevant institutions include the Road Passenger Transport Authority, the Transport Board, the Departments of Railways, the Police and Motor Traffic, the National Transport Medical Institute, and several others.
According to World Bank data, Sri Lanka records an average of 38,000 road crashes each year, with nearly 3,000 deaths and 8,000 serious injuries. The country’s annual road crash death rate per capita is the highest among its South Asian neighbours and is five times higher than the best-performing countries globally. Meeting the Sustainable Development Goal target of halving road crash fatalities by 2030 is expected to require an investment of nearly $ 2 billion over the next decade.