செய்தி
Handing over of 9 busses and a breakdown repaired by the government-owned Lakdiwa Engineering Company, to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) took place at the Lakdiwa Engineering company’s work site in Ja-Ela on 28.09.2020 under the patronage of Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Transport and Hon. Dilum Amunugama, State Minister of Transport.
On this occasion the two ministers handed over the keys of these busses and the breakdown to Mr. Kingsley Ranawaka, Chairman of SLTB.
The busses were given to the Nikaweratiya, Matara, Panadura, Kirindiwela, Kesbewa, Elpitiya and Galgamuwa depots and the breakdown to the Rambukkana depot.
Speaking here, Hon. Minister, Gamini Lokuge said that action will be taken to repair the decrepit busses belonging to the depots of all areas, through the Lakdiwa Engineering Company in this manner and make them available for the use of the public, without auctioning them off as practiced earlier, and he praised that the present management and the employees are successfully carrying out the task of repairing the busses belonging to Sri Lanka Transport Board by working with great enthusiasm and dedication, although running of the Company is a difficult exercise, and added that all necessary assistance of the Ministry of Transport will be provided to Mr. Kasun Wekadapala, the new Chairman and the staff for developing the capacity of the company under the guidance of Hon. Dilum Amunugama, the State Minister of Transport so that repair of not only the bus body but also mechanical parts can be carried out by the Company in future.
The Minister further stated that new government, under the leadership of HE the President and Hon. Prime Minister is working towards uplifting the Sri Lanka Transport Board and Department of Sri Lanka Railways utilizing local resources and services, preventing the drain of foreign exchange in the face of the economic recession caused by the Corona pandemic, and that it is expected to improve passenger transport facilities by repairing over 200 decrepit busses and adding them to service by 01st of January, 2021.
Further, the Minister expressed his confidence that it would be possible to develop this institution further to be capable of catering to current requirements and promote its operations up to the capacity for assembling modern busses.
Hon. Dilum Amunugama, State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry, Mr. Kasun Wekadapala, Chairman of the lakdiwa Engineering Company, Mr. Kingsley Ranawaka, Chairman of Sri Lanka Transport Board, and the employees of the Lakdiwa Engineering Company were present on the occasion.
The Ministry of Transport and Sri Lanka Railways jointly implement Colombo Suburban Railway Project in line with the government’s decision that railway transport service should be developed as the cheapest, environmental-friendly and sustainable solution to the ever increasing traffic congestion in the Colombo city and suburban areas, and satisfying the transport requirements of people. The Asian Development Bank extends financial assistance for the development of the railway sector of Sri Lanka.
The government have decided that the Kelani valley railway line should be developed as urgently as possible to provide a prompt solution to present traffic congestion experienced when entering the Colombo city through the Highlevel, Low Level and the Horana roads. Accordingly, as of now, the feasibility study the detailed engineering design have been completed for development of the Maradana-Padukka section of the Kelani valley railway line.
In thorough consideration of various social, economic, environmental and technical aspects, it has been planned to run electric trains once in every 7 minutes at the times of high demand. It has been decided to construct this line from Maradana to Malapalla as an elevated, electric double line.
The salient fact is that the unauthorized dwellers living unsafely in the railway reservation from Maradana to Padukka will be shifted from that environment and resettled in safe and comfortable houses by providing them with the ownership of such property with a view to creating the opportunity for them to achieve a higher living standard. This programme will open the way for the proposed development process and the opportunity for using the Kelani valley railway reservation land of high commercial value for some other sustainable development work.
Accordingly, agreement has been already entered into with the urban Development Authority for obtaining 1244 housing units from those being constructed under the Urban Regenerative Project. 384 housing units have already been released to the Project from the Lakhiru Sevana housing complex in Maligawatta as the first batch of such houses.
261 people dwelling in the section of the Kelani valley railway reservation from the Loco junction to the Seevali lane have been selected for resettling in these 384 housing units which are located close to their present residence in the reservation land. Handing over of keys of the new houses to 110 persons selected as the second batch of them took place under the patronage of Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Transport and Hon. Dilum Amunugama, State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry on 29.09.2020 at the BMICH. Under the programme, the people who were livingfor a long time without permission in the Kelani valley Railway reservation in unfit housing will come to receive the ownership of houses with facilities and hygiene in housing complex situated in a convenient environment. These people say that this was a great relief for them and their children.
Mr. Monti Ranathunga, Secretary to the ministry of Transport, Mr. Dilantha Fernando, General Manager of Railways, Mr. Palitha Samarasinghe, Director of the Colombo Suburban Railway Project, Mr. E.A.C. Priyashantha, Director(Housing) of the Urban Development Authority, senior officials of the Ministry of Transport, house recipients and the members of their families were present on this occasion.
A meeting was held between the Indonesian ambassador, HE Gusti Ngurah Ardiyasa and the Minister of Transport, Hon. Gamini Lokuge at the Ministry of Transport, Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla on 03.09.2020.
The Minister and the Ambassador discussed the assistance possible to be provided from the government of Indonesia for promotion of the Indonesian investment towards improving the quality of the transportation service of Sri Lanka.
Further, the Ambassador praised Sri Lanka for its success in effective implementation of theprogramme for combatting of Corona.
Mr. S.M.L.K. Alwis, Secretary to State Ministry of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry, Mrs. Swarna De Silva, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Rasyid Mahmuddin, First Secretary to the Embassy of Indonesia and Mrs. Nur Fitria, Second Secretary to the Embassy of Indonesia were present on this occasion.
A meeting was held between the Japanese ambassador in Sri Lanka, HE Akira SUGIYAMA and the Minister of Transport, Hon. Gamini Lokuge at the Ministry of Transport at Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla on 08.09.2020.
The Ambassador of Japan stressed the dedication of the Government of Japan towards enhancing the diplomatic relations as well as the friendship in religious, social, cultural and economic sectors between Japan and Sri Lanka that date back seven decades. The Minister pointed out that action would be taken, in consultation with HE the President, Hon. Prime Minister and the Cabinet, to inform the Government of Japan about the Sri Lankan Government’s stand on carrying out of the Light Rail Transit project that had been proposed to be implemented during the period of the previous government.
The Minister expressed special thanks to the Ambassador of Japan on the assistance extended by the Government of Japan for various development initiates in Sri Lanka and stated that assistance of the government of Japan is expected for the development of the transport sector of Sri Lanka. The Minister further praised the Japanese government’s dedication towards the economic development of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Monti Ranatunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, KITAMURA Toshihiro, Additional Ambassador of Japan, Kenta YASUNAGA Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, and Ms. KAWAKAMI Azusa, third secretary of public relations and cultural affairs of the Embassy of Japan also attended this occasion.
A discussion to identify the obstacles and problems that may arise in the implementation of the future development plans of Piliyandala Kesbewa and Boralesgamuwa towns and to provide solutions to them was held under the patronage of the Minister of Transport Gamini Lokuge at the Ministry of Transport on 03-09-2020.
The Minister briefed the officials on the obstacles that have been identified in the implementation of these plans and instructed the officials of the relevant institutions to take necessary steps to implement the plans and complete the projects as soon as possible.
Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Mr. S.M.L.K. Alwis, Director General of the Urban Development Authority Mr.Prasad Ranaweera, Kesbewa Divisional Secretary Mr. K.P. Premadasa, Mayor of Kesbewa Urban Council, Mr. Lakshman Perera, Mrs. Swarna De Silva, Senior Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and many other heads of relevant institutions were present.