Improve quality of public transport in keeping with fare hike
Majority
people say the quality of public transport in our country is
deteriorating and that it has to be improved. Some are of the view that
responsible officials do not take much interest to improve the standard
of the transport sector.
When the `Sunday Observer’ interviewed people to seek their views in
this regard, a 46 -year old school principal of Ampara, Maharoof
Badurdeen said the quality of transport in the Eastern Province has been
falling during the past fifteen years.
He said it was not only due to lack of buses in the province but also
due to poor maintenance work of workers.
He urged the authorities in Colombo to visit the East and see the
pathetic situation of public transport in the Province.
Senior Accountant in a shipping company, Jayadeva Samaranayaka said
“I don’t think it will be productive to make proposals to improve the
quality of public transport in the country as no official will listen to
our proposals”.
He said the quality of transport in the country has deteriorated due
to the negligence of officials.
Pradeshiya Sabha member of the Southern Provincial Council Nishantha
Wickramage said the majority of public sector officials and also
politicians in the country travel their own vehicles and not in public
transport to buses or trains.
“Therefore, I suggest them also to travel by public transport. Unless
they do so they will never feel the importance of improving the quality
of public transport in the country”.
Employee at Agrarian Services Department, Vidura Priyankara of
Peradeniya said the quality of public transport cannot be improved with
a few buses or trains.
“Government should import more buses considering the day to day
increasing number of passengers, otherwise the quality of the public
transport in the country will never be improved,”.
Medical student in the Peradeniya University, Kumuduni Hewawasam said
the present fleet of CTB buses is not enough to provide a quality
service as the majority of them are not in a running condition.
“Therefore, I suggest the Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma to
visit countrywide SLCTB depots and direct the officials to repair all
unused buses,”.
He said if officials do not take action in this regard, no one can
expect a quality transport service.
A resident of Kesbewa and film producer Nihar Dharmendra, said a
large number of buses are lying in the Kesbewa CTB depot due to lack of
spare parts. Only 50 per cent of buses in the depot are in the running
condition.
“Under such circumstances how can the CTB provide a quality transport
service,” he asked. He said the State of other bus depots in the country
were also the same and suggested that the Transport Minister should
import spare parts and repair all idling buses which are at CTB depot
yards to provide a quality service.
Executive, Senaka Gunasekara of Kadawata proposed that the General
Manager of Railways deploy additional trains during the morning and
evening sessions to provide a quality service for passengers, especially
for office workers.
“The existing trains are not enough to cater to the increasing number
of passengers,”.
Owner of a beauty saloon at Kaduwela Shehani Walgampaya requested the
Railway authorities to deploy sufficient security personnel in trains,
especially those are running at night, so that no one could remove
valuable parts in compartments such as fans, racks, bulbs, iron bars and
also seat covers.
Lecturer in the Ruhunu University, Dr. Sarath Siriwardane asked how
the Government can provide a quality transport service when over 90
passengers are travelling in some buses. Quoting the recent bus bomb
explosion at Piliyandala where over 15 people died and 73 injured, he
said there were more than 88 passengers at the time the bus met with the
accident.
Therefore, he suggested that the CTB should import more buses
otherwise the transport services in the country cannot be improved.
Employee in the Bank of Ceylon Samanthi Handunge proposed that the CTB
to deploy buses with few seats, so that many passengers will be able to
travel even standing.
Landed proprietor, Samson Samaranayaka of Pelmadulla asked the
Government to add more buses to the present fleet, otherwise it is
difficult to provide a quality transport service.
“Higher officials in the transport sector should not be in their
offices and they should visit bus stands and also travel in buses,
especially during evening sessions, so that they could see whether a
quality public transport service can be provided with few buses.
He also asked the Government authorities to reduce the CTB bus fare
considering that CTB, is a Government institution.
Businessman, Abubucker Shaul Hameed of Delgoda said ‘although the bus
fare has gone up following the fuel hike, how can the quality of public
transport be improved with a few buses’. “Therefore, I suggest to the
CTB to provide additional buses including luxury intercity buses, so
that a high quality transport service can be rendered.
Advanced Level student of Zahira College, Maradana, Mohamed Fayaz
wanted the officials in the transport sector to direct all CTB and
private buses to pick up schoolchildren at bus stands.
He also suggested the authorities to direct the intercity buses to
charge half the fare from children under 12 years and not the full
amount as they do at present. Executive, Sri Lanka Scout Association,
Sudath Wijenayaka wanted the private bus owners to continue their
services even until midnight for the benefit of workers in shops,
hospitals, garment industries and also in the free trade zones.
He said that there are no buses in many routes after 9.30 pm
everyday.
Businessman, Manoj Kusumsiri of Ja-Ela said a quality transport
service cannot be expected in the city of Colombo, due to the heavy
traffic during the day.
He proposed the authorities to ban all types of vehicles other than
passenger buses coming to Colombo city on week days, so that a quality
transport service can be expected even with the available buses. |