Police Media Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manatunga, announced that private bus owners have been granted three months to remove unnecessary accessories from their buses.
This decision was made during a discussion held today (8) between private bus owners’ associations and Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasuriya.
During the meeting, the Acting IGP emphasized that road discipline serves as a key indicator of a country’s overall state. He further stated that operations aimed at regulating road discipline are being carried out under existing laws without any political interference.
The Acting IGP also presented statistics indicating that these operations have resulted in a reduction of four to five fatal road accidents per day, alongside a significant decline in other road accidents.
Private bus associations, during the discussion, requested an extension of the two-week period initially given to remove decorative parts from vehicles or bring them into compliance with legal standards. They proposed a three-month timeframe instead.
In response, the Acting IGP clarified that any accessories contributing to accidents or exacerbating their severity would be removed by the police. For other fittings, bus owners have been given the option to either legally include them in the vehicle’s registration certificate or remove them within the extended three-month period to comply with the law.
Additionally, the bus associations urged the Acting IGP to limit the number of plainclothes police officers placed on buses and to take action against bus drivers in a manner that does not inconvenience the public. The Acting IGP assured that this process would continue while ensuring minimal disruption to passengers.
