The National Council for Road Safety has announced that vehicle condition checks will be made mandatory for public buses, a move aimed at tightening standards on the country’s passenger transport fleet.
Under the initiative, buses would have to pass condition inspections confirming they meet required safety standards before being allowed to operate on public roads. The measure is intended to reduce the risk of accidents and breakdowns caused by poorly maintained or unroadworthy vehicles.
The announcement follows repeated concern over bus safety, including fatal collisions and vehicle fires. In recent days a bus fire on the Southern Expressway disrupted traffic and forced diversions, underscoring worries about the mechanical condition of vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers.
Road accidents remain a serious public-safety problem in Sri Lanka, with buses frequently involved in high-casualty crashes. Authorities have periodically pushed for stricter enforcement of vehicle standards, speed limits and driver discipline.
Officials say mandatory condition checks will help ensure that operators keep their vehicles roadworthy, with further details on the inspection regime and its enforcement expected as the programme is rolled out.
