The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has signed an agreement to import 104 new buses for the Metro Transit Company, an affiliated company of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), Newswire reported on Monday.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry premises in Battaramulla between the Ministry and Indra Traders (Pvt) Ltd. According to officials, the new buses are expected to be imported into Sri Lanka in August under the terms of the agreement, as part of efforts to improve the efficiency of the country’s public transport service.
The signing was attended by Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila C.K. Perera, representatives of Indra Traders (Pvt) Ltd, and Metro Transit Company CEO B.M. Piyathilake, along with other officials.
The 104-bus procurement adds to the wider fleet expansion already in motion, including the new Kadawatha metro bus depot cleared for construction earlier this month, and follows the 200 luxury expressway buses added to the SLTB pool in early May. Metro Transit operates the Colombo-area urban services that fall outside the conventional SLTB depot footprint.
Update — June 19: Buses to come from FOTON in China; depots being expedited
Ada Derana reported on Friday that the 104 buses will be imported from FOTON International Corporation, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer in China, with all units scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka by August 2026. A delegation of Sri Lankan officials, including the Chief Executive Officer of Lanka Metro Transit, recently visited the FOTON factory to inspect technical specifications and study modifications needed for Sri Lankan roads.
Construction of new Metro service depots in Kadawatha and Ratmalana in the Western Province has been expedited in preparation for the new bus services.
Sources: Newswire; More than 100 new Metro buses to arrive in Sri Lanka in August — Ada Derana, June 19.
