For easy and comfortable travelling
Development in transport sector:
The demand for transport
services will continue to increase with them national
economic growth and regional development processes.
 The contribution of the Transport sector to the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of the country was 8.2% in 2006.
Buses and private vehicles are the main means of land
transport, accounting for 94% of the total passenger
transportation. Railways provide the remaining 6%. As far as
freight transport is concerned, road transport accounts for
98% of the movement of goods while the remaining 2% is
carried by railway.
Bus services account for 68% of the total passenger
transport in the country. The contribution of the
State-owned bus services is 23% while the remaining portion
is provided by private bus operators. The Government's focus
is to increase capacity, quality and efficiency of bus
services.
With the aim of increasing the capacity for long distance
railway passenger transport services the Government is in
the process of purchasing 100 carriages of which 25 have
been delivered already in September this year. Balance 75
coaches will be delivered by December 2007. The total amount
allocated for the purchase was 3,720 million rupees.
State-owned bus services in its contribution while
improving quality of services and in this regard, 2,000
buses have been purchased and 200 new engine kits have been
installed in existing buses. In addition, 25 bus depots have
been selected to develop as a model project.
In addition, purchase of fifteen Diesel Multiple units,
upgrading of Colombo-Matara railway line, Matara-Kataragama
railway line extension, Kurunegala/Dambulla/Habarana new
railway line development, eastern railway line
rehabilitation, development/ extension of Kelani vally
railway line up to Hambantota via Ratnapura and Embilipitiya
is already in the list of priorities.
A novel idea of establishing Light Rapid Transit system
by year 2015 in the Colombo metropolitan area is in the list
as well.
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