With the devastating accident at Gerandi Ella near Ramboda last week, all eyes have turned once again to Sri Lanka’s troubled public transport sector.
The tragedy, which claimed 23 lives and left over 54 others injured, has reignited long-standing concerns about the safety, regulation, and overall condition of the country’s bus services, both public and private.
For millions of Sri Lankans, public transport is more than just a convenience; it’s a daily necessity. Buses, in particular, form the backbone of this system, with services divided between the State-run Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and a vast private bus network. While the SLTB operates around 6,000 buses, the private sector accounts for nearly 20,000, carrying the bulk of the nation’s daily passengers.
Yet despite its size and importance, the sector has long been plagued by serious issues. Overcrowding, poorly maintained vehicles, reckless driving, and weak enforcement of safety standards have placed countless commuters at risk.
In the aftermath of the crash, several pressing questions have resurfaced. How safe is public transport in Sri Lanka today? Why have persistent safety concerns and operational issues remained unresolved for so long? Is the country’s ageing road network capable of supporting the growing demands of bus travel? And most importantly, what steps, if any, are being taken to address these dangers and prevent further tragedies?
A costly, inefficient system
According to the latest available audit report of the National Audit Office (NAO) as of 31 January 2023, the SLTB owned a fleet of 6,998 buses.
Alarmingly, only 5,094 were in operational condition, while 1,904 buses, including 1,240 over 12 years old and 1,105 beyond 15 years of service, remained idle at depots, many without proper security.
Despite these challenges, the SLTB had incurred staggering operational costs. In 2022 alone, Rs. 2.5 billion was spent on fleet maintenance – averaging Rs. 359,665 per bus – while fuel costs amounted to Rs. 36.67 billion. These figures underscore the heavy financial burden on the State to maintain a fleet plagued by ageing vehicles and operational inefficiencies.
Further exacerbating the problem is poor monitoring and record-keeping. As highlighted in the NAO report, nearly 75% of SLTB buses were found to have non-functional odometers, rendering reported travel figures of 349.2 million kilometres unreliable and complicating efforts to track fuel efficiency and fleet performance.
The audit report has also exposed that between 2011 and 2015, the SLTB bypassed legal procurement procedures to enter into unauthorised spare parts contracts worth Rs. 1,942 million, far exceeding the approved Rs. 50 million limit.
These dealings involved the supply of counterfeit parts at inflated prices, resulting in years of operational issues and costly arbitration. In 2023, the Government paid out Rs. 664.72 million in settlements to resolve the matter, it has been revealed.
Furthermore, in another troubling incident, a Cabinet-approved plan to purchase 500 buses in 2018 was abruptly increased to 600 in 2020 by the then Transport Minister, without feasibility studies or necessary approvals. This had led to the procurement of 500 Ashok Leyland Lynx buses in 2023 at significantly inflated prices, costing the State an additional Rs. 3,010 million beyond original estimates.
In addition, as reliably learnt by The Sunday Morning, Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has further stalled critical road development and maintenance projects, with estimates suggesting at least Rs. 15 billion is needed annually to maintain the national road network. While the Asian Development Bank recently pledged $ 53 million for rural road upgrades, these funds remain tied to the country’s ongoing debt restructuring efforts.
Subsidies needed urgently
Speaking on behalf of the private bus sector, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association President Gemunu Wijeratne highlighted that the bus fleet had decreased from around 18,000 before the Covid-19 pandemic to about 14,000 at present. He pointed out that the high taxes imposed on the transport sector had made buying new buses almost impossible for many operators.
“There is an 18% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on buses. Buses that used to cost around Rs. 10 million now cost nearly Rs. 19 million. While regular buses have nearly doubled in price, luxury buses now cost around Rs. 30 million,” Wijeratne explained.
In response to Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake’s recent announcement about importing technologically advanced buses starting next year, Wijeratne said: “This is Sri Lanka, not Europe. If the Government wants to bring in such advanced luxury buses, it must provide subsidies to the sector and fully remove VAT and other taxes. Without these steps, merely talking about these plans won’t benefit commuters.”
Wijeratne also blamed poor timetable planning as a key factor behind the recent accident that killed around over 20 people.
“The SLTB is not the sole operator of Sri Lanka’s public transport; it is just one of many service providers. The National Transport Commission (NTC) is responsible for setting bus timetables, but it has failed in this duty. The Government should take legal action against those who created the flawed timetable. It’s unacceptable that two routes – one from the low country and one from the hill country – were merged.
“We operate long-distance buses as well, and we maintain those routes and vehicles properly. We have luxury buses running to Mannar, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Kalmunai, and Badulla. So what was the condition of the long-distance bus involved in this accident?” he questioned.
Road safety lags behind
Speaking to The Sunday Morning in this backdrop, transport management consultant Dr. Dimantha De Silva stressed: “Whenever these accidents happen, there’s a brief outcry about the unroadworthy lorry chassis buses, but it dies down soon after. People forget about it until the next tragedy; articles are written, and once again, it becomes another case of missed accountability. Proper bus specifications were developed as part of the Megapolis Transport Master Plan, designed to ensure the use of suitable passenger transport vehicles.”
He added: “Unfortunately, certain expert groups – who seem to believe they control the bus sector – pushed forward projects that personally benefited them, sidelining the sector modernisation plans outlined in the megapolis plan. Projects like poorly implemented bus lanes and the ‘Sahasara’ bus reforms project not only failed but actively sabotaged efforts to upgrade bus quality and integrate them as feeder services for the proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) and suburban railway systems.”
De Silva criticised the policy failures of the past three decades, noting: “The transport sector in Sri Lanka has suffered from 30 years of bad advice, and those responsible for these decisions and failed projects have never been held accountable. Tragically, many of these same individuals continue to advise successive governments even today.”
He also recalled how the shift to larger Tata and Ashok Leyland buses was driven by concerns over traffic congestion in urban centres, where small buses were seen as a contributing factor during peak hours.
“Together with safety issues and the introduction of unsuitable buses, it created operational problems that we still face today. These 50-seater buses now run virtually empty during off-peak times, leading to unhealthy competition among private operators, slow service, and increased commuter dissatisfaction,” he said.
Highlighting the lost opportunities in public transport, Dr. De Silva noted: “The abandoned LRT and Colombo Suburban Railway (KV line) projects would have delivered significant travel time and cost savings. A major benefit would have been improved road safety.
“With less congestion, people wouldn’t be forced into risky options like motorcycles, which remain one of the most vulnerable commuter groups. Many of them would have shifted to efficient and safe public transport options.”
He stressed the importance of accountability, stating: “If we are to genuinely progress as a nation, we must hold those responsible for decades of poor transport policy decisions accountable, and commit to implementing modern, integrated, and scientifically sound transport solutions.”
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, University of Moratuwa Department of Civil Engineering Professor H.R. Pasindu said: “If you look at the last 10-15 years, there has been significant improvement in the country’s road infrastructure and we need to acknowledge that. Most of our main roads – the A-class arterial roads – have seen upgrades not just in surface quality, but also in safety-related features like geometric design, visibility, road markings, and signage.”
However, Prof. Pasindu pointed out that while certain improvements had been made, key areas of road safety infrastructure, such as guardrails and other impact severity mitigation measures, remained underdeveloped.
“These elements are crucial for reducing fatalities when crashes occur. While the Road Development Authority (RDA) has made progress in selected areas, a large portion of the network is still exposed to significant risks,” he said.
He further explained that after investing heavily in developing the basic road infrastructure, Sri Lanka now faced the challenge of entering the second phase, which involved enhancing road safety features.
“This phase requires substantial funding, not just for additional signage and road furniture like chevron signs and guardrails, but also for conducting safety audits and implementing necessary upgrades across the entire road network,” he added.
Prof. Pasindu revealed that the RDA had recently audited around 3,000 km of road and identified high-risk segments, but progress had been hampered by funding constraints, especially since the economic challenges post-2020.
He noted: “The Government needs to prioritise securing alternative financing options for road safety improvements. Often, restrictions on capital borrowing don’t apply to safety investments, and with some creative financing solutions, meaningful progress can be made.”
Prof. Pasindu further stressed that alongside infrastructure, addressing driver behaviour was equally important, noting: “One of the most urgent short-term actions should be the improvement of our driver evaluation and licensing system. The current testing mechanisms are weak, both in quality and integrity, and this is something that could be corrected without massive financial investment; it just requires institutional will.”
On enforcement, he added that expanding traffic law enforcement, especially through modern technology, could have an immediate impact.
“We need to support the Police with better resources like speed cameras and expand the use of CCTV and remote enforcement. Public complaints and video evidence should be officially admissible for reporting violations.
“We have seen how effective higher fines were for reducing drunk driving incidents; people adjusted their behaviour. The same approach, supported by adequate enforcement, can help address reckless driving, particularly among motorcycles, buses, and three-wheelers,” he said.
Prof. Pasindu also stressed the need for a continuous, scientifically designed public awareness campaign, noting: “Road safety campaigns should not be ad hoc. They need to be long-term, socially sensitive, and informed by research on how people respond to these messages. Consistency over time is key to making a real difference.”
Finally, he noted that a comprehensive national road safety strategic plan had already been prepared with input from various sectors, including the medical community, the Police, the RDA, NGOs, the Attorney General’s Department, and others.
“It’s a very well-rounded plan that unfortunately hasn’t received much public visibility. Giving attention to this strategy and its proposals could go a long way in addressing our road safety challenges,” he observed.
Govt. response
According to official Government statistics, Sri Lanka has experienced 902 fatal accidents resulting in 965 deaths so far this year, highlighting an urgent public safety concern.
Responding to concerns about road conditions, Transport Minister Rathnayake clarified that the RDA had submitted a report confirming that the roads involved in recent accidents did not exhibit any significant defects or hazards.
Rathnayake also announced plans to introduce stricter regulations on the importation of public transport buses starting January next year. Under these new guidelines, only buses that meet modern safety and quality standards will be allowed for import. Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport will initiate rigorous inspections to ensure that all public transport vehicles currently in operation comply with mandatory safety and operational requirements.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to addressing this crisis, stressing that the issue extended beyond transportation alone and involved significant challenges within road infrastructure. He pointed out that one major cause of overcrowding on buses was the large gap between the demand for public transport and the available supply of services.
Highlighting the recent accident, SLTB Deputy General Manager – Operations P.H.R.T. Chandrasiri noted that the vehicle had operated 16 days per month, with the remainder of its routes managed by the Thanamalwila Depot. “The driver, a healthy 44-year-old, is not subjected to excessive workloads and receives a day off after completing each route,” he said.
Chandrasiri explained that, in addition to seating capacity, these buses typically accommodated up to 40% additional standing passengers. He confirmed that the bus in question had been officially certified as suitable for service.