A senior Transport Ministry official told Lanka News Web that the highly publicized commencement of the Colombo-Jaffna bus service after a lapse of 19 years was a farce. The story given much publicity in the media is said to be a plan to uplift Basil Rajapakse’s image and has no involvement of Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.
The state media reported that after a lapse of 19 years, the bus service on the A9 resumed at 10.25 a.m. on the 22nd opposite the Doraiappa Stadium in Jaffna. It was reported that five buses carrying 225 passengers had left Jaffna to Colombo following a ceremony attended by Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapakse, Ministers Douglas Devananda and Lasantha
Alagiyawanna, Northern Province Governor G.A. Chandrasiri and District Secretary K. Ganesh.
A report carried in the Ravaya newspaper that the Jaffna-Colombo bus service was a farce stated that according to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), no such service has commenced yet.
Passengers who have called the Pettah bus station to inquire into the times the new bus service operated to the north on the A9 have been informed by an official at the bus stand that the SLTB had not started any bus service to the north and that they have not received any communication to the effect from either the Board or the Transport Ministry.
When inquired from the SLTB, an official had said no date has yet been fixed to resume a bus service between Colombo and Jaffna although discussions were currently being held to decide the pricing of tickets.
A spokesperson from the Transport Ministry when queried about the controversial bus service said the service between Colombo and Jaffna has not yet commenced officially. He said the highly publicized event on the 22nd was one where several chosen people from the north were brought down to Colombo for a meeting with the President.
