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Conflict among private bus owners over fare hike

29 Jun 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera   While the National Transport Commission (NTC) has agreed to increase the minimum bus fare from Rs. 32 to Rs. 40 and the rest of the fares by 30%, a conflict has arisen among private bus associations over the said increase in bus fares. A discussion was held in Colombo yesterday (28) between Minister of Transport Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, officials of the Transport Ministry, the NTC, and private bus owners’ associations regarding the increase in bus fares with the recent increase in fuel prices. Speaking to the media after the discussion, All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association (ACPBOA)  President Anjana Priyanjith said that the Transport Ministry and the NTC had agreed to increase the minimum bus fare to Rs. 40 and other bus fares by 30%. He further stated that the relevant fare revision would be announced tomorrow (30) and would then be implemented from Friday (1 July). Meanwhile, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne had left the meeting in the middle of the discussion stating that he was opposed to the proposed bus fare revision. Speaking to the media, he said: “There was a serious conflict inside. There were certain matters to which we could not agree. I cannot make a statement in this regard and we will see later as to what happens to the bus fare. Lots of parties are now working to go against the national transport policy. I cannot agree with that.” Following the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) having increased the fuel prices with effect from Sunday (26), both the LPBOA and the ACPBOA stated that the Government should take steps to increase bus fares as soon as possible. The CPC and the LIOC increased fuel prices at higher rates, with effect from Sunday. The CPC announced that it had decided to increase the price of Octane 92 petrol by Rs. 50 per litre, Octane 95 petrol by Rs. 100 per litre, Auto Diesel by Rs. 60 per litre, and Super Diesel by Rs. 75 per litre. Accordingly, the price of a litre of Octane 92 petrol has been increased to Rs. 470, Octane 95 petrol to Rs. 550, Auto Diesel to Rs. 460, and Super Diesel to Rs. 520. The LIOC had also increased fuel prices, the same as the CPC prices.


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