Bus ticket machines compulsory soon

Shirley Wijesinghe

Issuing a tickets for private bus passengers through a mechanised system will be made compulsory soon after the relevant gazette notification is published, said Western provincial Chief Minister Reginald Cooray.

The practice of issuing tickets through the machines since was not at a satisfactory level and it was roughly 43 per cent , Chief Minister Cooray added.

Chief Minister Cooray made this statement at the media conference at the Chief Ministry yesterday.

Appreciating the relevant court order of the Supreme Court for the benefit of passengers of private buses, the Chief Minister said that above conditions were imposed to prove the identity as a passenger of the bus, to confirm the right for a seat for a passenger and to get an idea about the income of bus owners.

The total number of private buses running under the supervision of Western Provincial Road Passenger Authority is about 7,000. The shortage of machines for buses in the Western Province will be fulfilled shortly before the implementation of related laws and regulations. The machines can be purchased on installment basis through a loan organized by state banks.

The privatization of the transport service of the country had been done without following a systematic procedure. The process is being regularised under the present Government.

Minister Cooray also said that the Western Provincial Road Passenger Authority is in a good financial condition to pay the salary arrears of employees. Several development projects in connection with development of bus stands are being completed and some are about to be completed. Total estimated cost for the projects is Rs. 700 million.