By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka plans to introduce an electric public transport system with 200 buses in the Western province around Colombo while seeking investors for the implementation of the novel venture Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardana said.
The ministry of transport had earlier called for expressions of interest for 50 electric buses, but the investment cost of charging points made the project unviable, he said adding that feedback indicated that 200 to 500 buses are needed to make such a project viable.
This proposal of introducingelectric busses comes to light 122 years after the operating of tram public transport service using electric powred tramcars, and later it was replaced with trolley busses including double and single deckers to solve Colombo’s transport problems more efficiently.
Population of Colombo increased as over the years it had been the administrative and commercial centre rapidly developpig economically at that time.
Therefore, it was a very busy city, because the Port, schools, banks, shops, government offices, main hospitals and various educational institutions were available here. Hence, many people came to the Colombo city for their work.”
This effienttrolly bus transport system for comuters travelling in and out of Colombo city limits came to an abrupt end as aresult of the nationalization of private passenger transport service during SWRD Bandaranayake regime and the subsequent strike of trolly bus strike in 1964.
In the latest move to solve passenger trans port diffuclty in the Western province specially in Colombo City, the cabinet of ministers had now approved a 200-bus project, which will be run in collaboration with state-run Sri Lanka Transport Board.
“It will be a build operate transfer style project for a number of years,” Minister Gunawardana said, adding that any investor from Korea, or China or UK could express interest.
“They could also propose terms and the period.”The SLTB had no resources to invest in electric buses, he said. Once the investors earned back his return the assets will go the SLTB.
The buses will operate on existing SLTB routes in the Western province.Electric buses are found in India, Bangladesh, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
When the electric buses come, 200 SLTB buses will be withdrawn from the Western province and deployed in provincial routes
During the good olden days the tramcar system was introduced in many countries in the beginning of the 20th century. Then it came to Ceylon.
On 11 January 1900 the Ceylon Electric Tramways opened the country’s first tramway for public service] with the ‘Grand Pass Route’ being the first section to open, followed by the ‘Borella (Maradana) Route’.
The tramways was eventually brought under Colombo Electric Tramways and Lighting Company Ltd after its formation in 1902, the same company that built the Pettah Power Station.
The Pettah Power Station was the second power station established in the country and was used to power the tram network, mercantile offices, government buildings and street lights.
The whole of the track on both routes was relaid with 43 kg (95 lb) rails between December 1905 and August 1907, with all joints being welded by thermite process.
