The Sri Lanka Transport Board generated Rs. 1 billion in revenue over six days of special Sinhala and Tamil New Year transport services, Chairman Sajeewa Kanakarathna announced on Wednesday — a record for the state bus operator.
SLTB set a single-day revenue record of Rs. 213 million on April 11, the highest daily earning in the board’s history, as hundreds of thousands of passengers travelled to their hometowns for Avurudu celebrations.
The Rs. 1 billion total covers the full festive period from April 9 to April 14. Earlier reports had put the running tally at Rs. 600 million through mid-week. The updated figure reflects continued heavy demand through the holiday weekend despite fuel rationing measures still in effect.
Return travel services commenced from Wednesday afternoon, with the National Transport Commission deploying 1,500 additional buses within Colombo — more than the usual 1,250 — to compensate for upcountry railway disruptions still lingering from Cyclone Ditwah. NTC Director General Nilan Miranda said over 400,000 passengers had travelled from Colombo to outstation areas for the New Year using private buses.
Special railway services will remain in operation until April 19 on the Anuradhapura–Fort, Kankesanthurai–Anuradhapura, Matara–Maradana, and Beliatta–Maradana routes, with full capacity resuming April 20.
The SLTB had deployed 1,490 buses for the outbound Avurudu travel rush from April 9, including services to areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah. The return leg marks the final phase of the holiday transport operation that began ahead of the Avurudu weekend.
