President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called for a major overhaul of Sri Lanka’s public transport system, saying a quality and accessible network that benefits every citizen must be developed to ease the financial burden of travel.
The development of public transport should be given the same level of attention accorded to the free healthcare system, the President said, according to the President’s Media Division. He made the remarks at a pre-Budget discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday morning (13) to review projects funded under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and to shape proposals for the 2027 Budget.
The President reviewed progress on a programme to gradually phase out ageing buses and bring new vehicles into service. Replacing existing fleets with well-equipped buses — such as metro buses for short-distance urban routes — would help ensure comfortable travel for commuters, he said.
The meeting also examined urban development work, including apartment construction, urban waste management and projects under the government’s city branding drive. The President instructed officials to identify projects that can be completed within the next year, prioritise them and allocate budgetary provisions accordingly. He further directed that projects funded through foreign loans should not be approved without a clear understanding of their intended outcomes.
Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake, deputy ministers, and the secretaries to the President and the Finance Ministry were among those present. The discussion comes as the government finalises its third annual budget, due to be presented to Parliament on November 12.
