200 electric buses to be deployed in Western Province in 2024

The Department of Motor Traffic will be digitized in 2024, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced on Monday (13).

While delivering the 2024 budget speech in the Parliament this afternoon, the Head of the State mentioned that a pilot project of running 200 electric buses will also be commenced jointly with the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) in the Western Province in 2024.

In addition, the Kandy multi-transport center project will be implemented in January 2024, under the loan assistance of the World Bank to overcome the vehicle and passenger traffic in the historic city of Kandy and integrate train, bus and other taxi services.

An allocation of Rs. 1.5 billion will be made for the development of the access roads of this center, according to the President.

Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe stated that the Department of Railways will complete the renovation of the railway track from Anuradhapura to Mihintale within January 2024 and that Rs. 200 million will be allocated through 2024 budget for this purpose. 

He further said that as soon as the foreign debt restructuring process is completed, the second phase of the Central Expressway; the section from Kadawatha to Mirigama, will be commenced jointly with China.

“We hope to get the support of Japan for the construction of the section from Kurunegala to Galagedara”, the President stated, adding that “we are planning to find out whether it is possible to build the highway up to Katugastota”.