The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, we are discussing reforms crucial to every citizen’s mobility and public passenger services. This Government—of the National People’s Power—seeks practical, contemporary solutions. The NTC’s original purposes included policy formulation and guidance, but in practice it became preoccupied with issuing permits and timetables, with inadequate focus on regulation, standards, and passenger welfare. This amendment aims to correct that—expanding beyond buses to unify policy and regulation across SLTB, rail, school and office transport, and three-wheelers, under one coherent framework.

¶ 02 Competition among buses has produced conflicts among drivers and conductors, timetable disputes, and unsafe behavior spilling into buses and roads, burdening passengers. Causes include owners’ lack of confidence in revenue, leading to aggressive daily targets for drivers and conductors. We need systemic solutions, not piecemeal fixes.

¶ 03 Accordingly, the Bill contemplates digital fare collection—cashless, card-based systems—to improve revenue transparency and reduce passenger grievances. GPS-based monitoring will help manage operations and curb violations. We will pursue structured training to professionalize drivers and conductors, and extend social protection—EPF/ETF—so they can focus on safe service.

¶ 04 A Member referenced the long-standing “bamboo gatekeeper” solution for unsafe rail crossings; decades have passed without durable fixes. Through these reforms we seek lasting improvements benefiting the public and transport professionals alike. Thank you.