May 01, Colombo (LNW): Despite a noticeable reduction in fuel prices announced by both the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) and the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC), passengers relying on public transport will see no relief in bus fares.
This decision has sparked renewed criticism over the disconnect between fuel pricing and public transportation costs in Sri Lanka.
Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association Chief Gemunu Wijeratne has made it clear that bus fares will not be adjusted downwards, even though the cost of auto diesel—on which most buses operate—has been brought down by Rs. 12 per litre.
With diesel now retailing at Rs. 274 per litre, many commuters had anticipated a corresponding fare reduction, only to be disappointed.
The price revision, effective from midnight on April 30, has seen petrol and diesel fuels slashed significantly. Petrol Octane 92 has dropped by Rs. 6, bringing it to Rs. 293 per litre, while the higher-grade Octane 95 has fallen by Rs. 20 to Rs. 341 per litre. Super Diesel is now priced at Rs. 325, following a Rs. 6 cut, and Kerosene has been reduced to Rs. 178, down by Rs. 5.
