President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that public transport systems – buses, highways and train services – will be developed and renovated both in urban and rural areas of the country, considering it a ‘very timely situation’.

Delivering the 2025 budget speech, the President stated that as a preliminary step, measures will be taken to introduce a set of modern, comfortable buses with developed technology as a pilot project within Sri Lanka’s transport system.

Accordingly, he said that 100 luxury coach buses will be put into public transportation service in three main road corridors identified within the entry limits to the Colombo City. The President added that the three identified routes are Kottawa – Pettah, Kadawatha – Pettah and Moratuwa – Pettah.

The Head of the State proposed the allocation of Rs. 3,000 million for the purchase of the buses.

Additionally, Dissanayake assured that the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) will implement 200 such luxury coach buses for public transportation services using the board’s available funds, noting that this is the first step of developing the country’s public transportation service. 

“These buses will be operated under newly established companies collectively known as Metro Bus Companies (MBC)…Will not put them under the same old authorities..,” the President said.

Meanwhile, he also added that the proposed buses will operate completely under a digitalized system.

Furthermore, the President also announced plans to implement a combined bus schedule along all routes, especially in the long-distance bus services, instead of the separate bus schedules existing for the buses attached to the Sri Lanka Transport Board and private buses.