Marked progress in Northern transport sector

by Mohammed NAALIR

Deputy Transport Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake inspected the progress made in the transport sector in the North during a recent visit to the region.

The Deputy Minister visited the Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Jaffna and Karainagar bus depots and observed their functions and pledged to improve the conditions of those depots.

The Deputy Minister also inspected the progress of the construction work of the railway line between Colombo and Kankesanthurai at Omanthai.

The Minister promised the Vavuniya bus depot officers that more personnel will be deployed to Vavuniya to overcome the current shortage, of personnel.

The depot officers stressed the necessity of increasing the capacity of their diesel engines to provide a better transport service to the public during the festive seasons in the North. Deputy Minister Dissanayake also visited the Kilinochchi depot which is currently functioning from a temporary location.

The officers of the Depot told the Minister that even-though there are 21 buses in the fleet, only 19 are operating as the others need to be repaired.

They also called upon the Minister to employ permanent workers to the depot as the present workers travel from Jaffna.

The Minister who also met the commuters in Jaffna, requested their feedback, to improve the passenger transport service in the Jaffna peninsula.

Some passengers brought to the notice of the Deputy Minister the need for more buses.

The Deputy Minister also inaugurated a semi-luxury bus service between Jaffna and Colombo during his visit to Jaffna. Having visited the Karainagar depot, he pledged to send material and personnel to carry out repairs at the depot.