A total of 112 new Metro buses were deployed today (29) across seven routes in the Western Province, in a move aimed at easing traffic congestion in Colombo and providing commuters with a safer and more comfortable public transport service.
The new buses were officially introduced at the Thalangama Metro Bus Depot this morning under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Of the 112 buses, 104 were provided through the government programme, while eight buses were donated by the Government of Japan.
The Metro Bus project was initially proposed in the 2025 Budget, with an allocation of Rs. 3 billion for the procurement of 100 low-floor buses. The initial network comprises seven main routes with a combined corridor length of approximately 188.7 kilometres.
The service is intended to reduce the number of private vehicles entering Colombo, particularly vehicles carrying only a single passenger. Services will operate according to designated routes and timetables, with the aim of improving the reliability and efficiency of urban public transport.
Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd, established to implement the project, has completed the planning, procurement, infrastructure development and trial-operation stages. Work is also underway to establish a fully digitalised system covering fleet management, passenger information, fare collection and operational monitoring.
Plans for Metro Bus depots have been completed, while infrastructure development has commenced. The Road Development Authority and Colombo Municipal Council are also working on improvements to bus-stop facilities.
Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the Government has invested approximately Rs. 7.5 billion in establishing the Metro service, describing the project as an indication of the country’s improving economic capacity.
He said the Government expects to introduce a further 50 buses before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and deploy them on inter-city routes connecting Colombo with Jaffna, Kandy and Galle.
The Minister also said the Government plans to expand the Metro service to major cities across the country and explore the use of an urban transport permit system to help reduce inter-city congestion. He further called on municipal authorities to establish suitable parking facilities near bus stops to promote a Park-and-Ride system.
Minister Rathnayake said the Government of China has also agreed to provide 100 buses to the Metro company following discussions held during President Dissanayake’s visit to China.
The launch was attended by Deputy Ministers of Transport and Highways and Urban Development, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, Members of Parliament, foreign ambassadors, senior government officials and representatives of Lanka Metro Transit.
