Issuing a statement, National Transport Commission Director General Dr. Nilan Miranda stated that the approval of the Cabinet is scheduled to be obtained tomorrow (23) to implement the new bus fare increase.
He said that the current bus fare was announced on July 4th last year, and when calculating it, the price of a liter of Lanka White Diesel was Rs. 289 in that month.
However, with the increase in fuel prices that occurred yesterday, the price of a liter of diesel has increased from Rs. 303 to Rs. 382, an increase of Rs. 79, he pointed out. The total increase in the price of Lanka White Diesel during this period is Rs. 93, the Director General pointed out.
Accordingly, when the price increase is adjusted to the bus fare determination formula, the existing bus fare is 10% higher than the current one. This has led to the increase in bus fares and therefore, the matter has been referred to the Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow to obtain approval to implement the new bus fare increase, the statement issued by the Director General of the National Transport Commission, Dr. Nilan Miranda, further stated.
However, the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association says that since the bus fare revision did not take effect today, buses will be withdrawn from operation tomorrow (23). Its President, Gemunu Wijeratne, stated that it is not possible to operate buses until the bus fare increase is officially announced.
Inter-provincial buses will also be withdrawn from operation tomorrow, said Sarath Vijitha Kumara, President of the Inter-Provincial Private Bus Owners Association.