Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) through 105 depots currently provide fuel to the private buses for passenger transport.
However, complaints have been received from various areas to the Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardena that private bus drivers are engaged in fuel racketeering instead of transporting passengers.
Accordingly, the Minister has instructed the Ministry Secretary R. W. R. Premasiri.to conduct an immediate investigation on this matter.
On 03rd July alone, all the SLTB depots have provided fuel for 5500 private buses, but less than 3000 private buses were in operation, according to the National Transport Commission and Road Passenger Transport Authority offices.
Kingsley Ranawaka, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Transport Board, has also informed the Minister that even though the Sri Lanka Transport Board provides fuel to the private buses in order to maintain the public transport services in view of the ongoing fuel crisis, the private bus drivers take the fuel but do not engage in passenger transport.
Taking these facts into consideration, the Minister has instructed the National Transport Commission and all road passenger transport authorities to conduct a prompt and formal investigation in this regard.
