Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake announced that 121 Metro buses sourced from China and other countries will enter service by late August, with expansion plans to Jaffna and Kandy expected by December.

Sri Lanka's Transport Ministry is preparing to roll out a significant expansion of its Metro bus service, according to Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake. A fleet of 121 buses procured from China and other international sources is currently undergoing registration and legal procedures, with deployment targeted for the end of August following completion of these formalities.

The expansion strategy extends beyond Colombo's current operations. An additional 50 buses from Japan are scheduled to arrive before year-end, facilitating the launch of Metro services in the northern district of Jaffna and the central highlands town of Kandy. To support these new operations, Metro depots will need to be established in both districts. The Ministry has also identified several new routes that are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

According to the Minister, the initiative aligns with the government's broader transportation goals. By introducing multilingual passenger information systems featuring Sinhala, Tamil, and English, officials aim to encourage commuters to transition from private vehicles to public transport. This shift is intended to address traffic congestion, reduce fuel consumption, and lower environmental emissions.

Looking ahead, the government has set an ambitious long-term target of expanding the Metro bus fleet to over 500 vehicles by 2030, signalling a substantial commitment to developing the public transportation network across the country.