Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) accompanied Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake during an inspection visit and discussion held at the Pettah Central Bus Stand in Colombo yesterday (12).

The Pettah Central Bus Stand, one of the country’s most important public transport hubs, was recently reopened following extensive renovation and refurbishment work carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force. The multi-million-rupee project was implemented under the Government’s “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, with the objective of enhancing the quality, safety, and efficiency of public transport infrastructure.

During the visit, the Minister and the Defence Secretary inspected the premises and reviewed the condition of the facility, its services, and operational arrangements, the Ministry of Defence said.

At the subsequent discussion, attention was focused on matters relating to maintenance, operational management, ongoing development activities, security and safety concerns, as well as various challenges encountered in the day-to-day functioning of the bus terminal.

Participants also deliberated on practical measures to further improve passenger convenience, traffic flow, cleanliness, and the overall operational efficiency of the facility.

Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, officials of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), senior officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Police, together with representatives of other stakeholder institutions, attended the inspection and discussion.