In an effort to curb ticketless travel on SLTB buses, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has announced plans to increase the fines for such offenses.
The decision comes after amendments were made to the SLTB Act.
At present, the fine for traveling without a ticket stands at Rs. 250, or double the fare. However, this has not deterred individuals from evading payment, resulting in a monthly loss of approximately Rs. 70 million for the SLTB.
Consequently, the board has conducted investigations into the matter and concluded that simply punishing the conductors is insufficient to put an end to this practice.
Further investigations revealed that some passengers are able to travel without tickets due to connections with the conductors.
In light of this, the SLTB has decided to increase the fines imposed on ticketless passengers. The exact amount of the fines will be determined once the legal draft has been finalized, according to SLTB Chairman S.M.D.L.K.D. Alwis.
