Following the long holiday period, both the Sri Lanka Transport Board and Railway Department have deployed additional services to manage the surge in passenger traffic returning to the capital.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board has activated special bus services to accommodate increased travel demand as residents return to Colombo following the extended weekend break. According to SLTB Chairman Sajeewa Kanakaratne, additional buses have been deployed from key regional hubs including Matara, Galle, and Kandy to manage passenger volumes. Regional offices across the Transport Board network have been instructed to implement these temporary arrangements.
In parallel, the Railway Department has introduced supplementary train services to support the transport surge. A special railway service connecting Anuradhapura to Matara commenced operations today, according to Railway Media Spokesperson Asanka Samarasinghe.
Among the transport sector's concerns, the SLTB has announced plans to enforce strict legal penalties against bus drivers operating vehicles while under the influence of drugs. This measure follows reports that a considerable number of drivers tested positive for drug use at the start of the holiday period, prompting the Transport Board to prioritize safety enforcement during the busy travel period.
