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by Kegalle special correspondent

A number of CTB buses in Kegalle Depot are not functioning today owing to the lack of various spare parts to make those vehicles roadworthy according to Kegalle Depot Superintendent Tissa Chandrasiri.

As disclosed by the Depot Superintendent forty buses of the Kegalle depot fleet of buses cannot be put on the road owing to the lack of tyres and seven buses of its fleet need their engines to be replaced with new ones.

The long-distance running buses have been dwindling daily since 2003 and no steps have been resorted to arrest this situation. In the past there were over one hundred and fifty (150) buses operating from Kegalle Depot to various destinations from Kegalle but today that position has deteriorated and only about seventy buses (70) frequently ply from Kegalle Depot. For short distance running alone Kegalle Depot needs at least one hundred and seventy buses (170) according to Depot Superintendent.

Presently, the income of the Kegalle CTB Depot too has dwindled owing to the prevailing lack of buses in its fleet resulting non-operation of school service buses and postal service vehicles. The non-operation of these services vehicles has set in the tremendous dwindling of the depots' income.

If gear boxes, tyres and tubes are provided there prevails a possibility of immediate repair of some buses amounting to at least forty to fifty vehicles, disclosed the Depot Superintendent.

Formerly, Kegalle CTB Depot operated its buses in fifty seven bus routes in the area, but today in most routes buses (CTB) are not operated owing to lack of vehicles.

In addition, daily there are breakdown of vehicles owing to bad roads which were not maintained for quite a long time and ruts and pot-holes are numerous along many routes contributing daily for the breakdown of buses.

Several buses that are garaged due to lack of tyres can be immediately put on the road if tyres are provided forthwith, and at least ten buses could be made roadworthy if the depot is provided with at least forty tyres, he said.

There are thirty five buses, which have been continuously in service in the past thirty (30) years and as they are still in good condition, those can be made to operate with some minor repairs, the depot superintendent indicated.

At the moment, arrangements have been made to repair seven buses at a cost of six hundred thousand (Rs. 600,000) rupees, and to recommence the long distance plying, the depot is in need of at least fifteen buses. Nearly fifty buses can be repaired soon and make those roadworthy if the authorities provide funds for the repair of these vehicles.

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