Residents of Polonnaruwa alleged that the SLTB bus allocated to Polonnaruwa depot to transport children from remote villages in Polonnaruwa has been stopped.
Although the bus was given at a ceremony held in the village on May 9 with the participation of Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana, it has been stopped plying the next day.
Out of 500 buses received under the loan facility from India, 16 buses were given to the Polonnaruwa Depot. One out of the 16 buses was reserved for school children in the remote villages of Galthalawa in Welikanda, Rideepokuna, Aluthwewa, Ginidamana, Nelumwewa and Borawewa.
The parents said that although the children were transported to school by that bus on May 10, the children were not brought back home by the same bus and they had to come by other buses.
Meanwhile, Polonnaruwa SLTB Depot Superintendent D.A. Premasiri has told the media that it is not possible to run the bus in question due to the lack of employees, and that the bus will be operated again in the future.
SLPP MP Jagath Samarawickremane, who was present at the ceremony to handover the bus, told the media that eight out of the 16 buses were not plying due to the lack of drivers.
(Source – Aruna)
