The National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced the launch of an integrated transport plan to ensure smooth travel for passengers returning to their hometowns during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season.
The special transport initiative, which comes into effect tomorrow and will continue until April 21, is being implemented in collaboration with the Department of Railways and the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB).
To accommodate the expected surge in holiday travel, the SLTB and NTC have arranged for long-distance bus services operating from key urban centres such as Kandy, Puttalam, High-Level/Low-Level corridors, Dambulla, and Galle.
In addition, the Department of Railways has scheduled a series of special train services departing from Colombo Fort to popular destinations including Badulla, Kandy, and Galle. These services will supplement the existing regular train schedule to enhance capacity during the festive season.
To further ease travel, 350 additional expressway buses will be deployed to destinations such as Galle, Matara, Badulla, Tangalle, and Kataragama. These buses will operate from major transport hubs including Makumbura, Kadawatha, Kaduwela, and Bastian Mawatha.
The NTC estimates that nearly 800,000 passengers are expected to pass through bus terminals in Colombo and surrounding areas during the New Year period. The commission assured that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure passenger convenience and safety throughout the travel season.
