Colombo, Oct. 15 (Daily Mirror) - Plans are underway to introduce the Metro Bus service to Kandy and its suburbs, with a special route survey conducted today (15) under the leadership of Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena.
The initiative is part of a broader plan to expand the Metro Bus service, currently operating in the Western Province, to other major cities across the country.
A trial run was conducted from Kandy to Gampola to identify suitable routes for the proposed service, which is expected to improve public transport facilities in Kandy and surrounding areas.
The 19-kilometre proposed route runs from Kandy city through Senanayake Street, Dalada Street, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Mawatha, Mulgampola, Getambe Junction, Galaha Junction, Peradeniya, Angunawala, Gelioya, Weligalla and Kahatapitiya before reaching Gampola town and the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depot.
The road is being developed to accommodate Metro bus operations, while the necessary infrastructure is also being established for the proposed service.
Prior to the route survey, a discussion on implementing the Kandy Metro Bus project was held at the auditorium of the Central Provincial Ministry of Roads. The meeting, chaired by Deputy Minister Gunasena, was attended by officials from the Police Traffic Division and relevant state institutions.
Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd currently operates 122 Metro buses across seven routes covering the Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.
The company plans to expand the service to Kandy, Jaffna and Galle in the coming years as part of its efforts to extend urban luxury bus transport beyond the Western Province.
Those present at the discussion included Central Province Chief Secretary Ajith Premasinghe, Secretary to the Central Provincial Ministry of Highways Dilisha Rupani Piyadasa, Kandy Municipal Commissioner Indika Kumari Abesinghe, Chairman of the Central Province Road Passenger Transport Authority Ajith Priyantha, and Chief Executive Officer of Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd, Engineer P.M. Piyathilaka.
Kandy Assistant Superintendent of Police H.M.D. Herath, Kandy Municipal Council member Madhura Ranjith, and officials representing the Road Development Authority and other relevant state institutions also attended.