A gazette notification making it compulsory for passengers travelling in passenger buses on expressways to wear seat belts will be issued on August 31, Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Rathnayake announced.
The Minister revealed this during a recent meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, held in Parliament under his chairmanship.
He said the regulation is being introduced as part of the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme and noted that a three-month grace period will be given for the installation of seat belts in school transport buses, office transport services, leisure tour buses, and other passenger buses operating on expressways.
Minister Rathnayake highlighted concerns over the rising cost of seat belts, which had increased from Rs. 2,000 to between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000. He stressed that the Consumer Affairs Authority must monitor the price hike.
He added that public opinion had also been sought on extending the regulation to long-distance buses, with the majority of respondents expressing support. The survey, carried out by Citra Innovation Lab among 2,100 individuals including passengers, drivers, and bus owners, has already been submitted to the government, paving the way for a future extension of the regulation.
The Minister further announced that new legal provisions will soon be introduced to inspect and rate the quality of vehicle spare parts before vehicles are allowed onto expressways. Vehicles with substandard tires will not be permitted to operate, he said.
Additionally, he revealed that arrangements have been finalised to establish a welfare fund for private transport drivers, including three-wheeler and van operators, with a draft bill to be presented in Parliament shortly.
The committee also discussed the introduction of a proper mechanism for parking expressway and long-distance buses, while appointing two sub-committees to present proposals on upgrading railway services and port infrastructure.
The construction of the Kadawatha–Meerigama expressway section, scheduled to begin in September, was also reviewed during the meeting, with preparatory work reported as complete.
