President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that a quality and accessible public transport system that benefits every individual must be developed, adding that such a system would reduce the personal financial burden borne by the public for transportation while ensuring a quality transport service across the country. 

The President therefore highlighted the importance of giving the development of public transport the same level of attention accorded to the advancement of the free healthcare system. 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks while participating in the pre-Budget discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (13) to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and to discuss proposals for the 2027 Budget. 

Highlighting the need to develop public transport under a new plan, the President separately reviewed the progress of projects implemented in the transport and highways sectors during 2026. Special attention was also paid to the programme to gradually phase out ageing buses and introduce new buses into service. 

The President further noted that replacing existing fleets with well-equipped buses, such as metro buses, for short-distance urban services would help ensure comfortable travel for the public. The progress made during 2026 on major programmes implemented under the Ministry of Urban Development, including apartment complex construction projects, urban waste management projects and programmes implemented under the CITY BRANDING project, was also reviewed extensively. 

Discussions also focused on projects that could be vested with the public this year and the allocations required for the coming year. The President instructed officials to identify projects that could be completed within the next year, prioritise them and allocate Budgetary provisions accordingly. 

He also instructed that projects implemented with foreign loan assistance should not be approved without a proper understanding of their intended final outcomes. 

Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake; Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr Prasanna Gunasena; Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara; Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi; Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara; and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Harshana Suriyapperuma were among those present. The Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and officials from the Ministry of Finance, the highways and urban development sectors and institutions operating under the respective ministries also attended the discussion.