Legal action has been taken against seven buses operating without passenger transport service permits following a raid conducted in Colombo, officials said.

Acting on information received that passengers were being transported without authorisation from People’s Park to Hatton, Nawalapitiya and Dayagama, officers of the mobile inspection unit of the National Transport Commission (NTC), together with police personnel stationed at the Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal, carried out inspections last night (11).

NTC Director of Operations and Service Supervision Shereen Athukorala stated that the operators of the seven buses were produced before the courts following the operation.

Authorities said the buses had been allegedly operating without valid passenger transport service permits and were charging fares above the approved rates.

Commuters have been urged not to use unauthorized bus services during the festive season, with officials stressing that proper transport facilities are available at all bus terminals through the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), including Colombo Central Bus Stand and Bastian Mawatha.

“If you choose to use an illegal transportation service, your lives will be at risk and unsafe. We raided 7 such buses yesterday and produced them before the courts along with the Sri Lanka Police,” she added.