Colombo-Jaffna bus service

The Government yesterday restrengthened the link between the South and the North with the symbolical restarting of the Jaffna – Colombo CTB bus service along the A-9 road which was abandoned for the past two decades, enabling the people of Jaffna to reach the South through a land route.

Senior Presidential Advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa inaugurated this bus service from Jaffna after deploying five buses from the Jaffna depot.

The five buses taking 225 passengers started their journey towards Colombo at 10.32 a.m from Duraiappa Stadium via Medwacchiya and then to Colombo.

The commencement of the bus service would be a direct result of the liberation of the entire country from the clutches of the LTTE by the Security Forces, as it had enabled to enshrine the Northern people who had been subjected to a decade of suffering at the hand of the LTTE, with their basic rights and facilities.

Transport services to Jaffna on the A-9 road came to a complete stand still on August 11, 2006 with the escalation of battles between the Security Forces and the LTTE and the transport service was recommenced only in April this year with the resumption of troop movements along the A-9 road and later with the commencement of transportation of essential goods. Read more ...

Colombo-Jaffna bus service soon

Jaffna luxury bus service will be launched along the A9 road soon, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told parliament yesterday that .

The Minister made this point in response to a statement made by UNP MP Edward Gunasekera that 200 buses were to be leased by the Sri Lanka Central Transport Board to operate in Jaffna. Minister Alhaperuma said the decision to lease buses was taken in a bid to reduce the burden on the Treasury.

The Minister also said it would take at least one year for the Yaldevi train to resume normal operations.

He also told the House that the Central Bus stand in Jaffna would be developed as a model bus stand.

He said the Jaffna Bus stand was adjudged the third best Bus stand in the country at a competition conducted by the SLCTB recently. Read more ...

Status of livelihood development and humanitarian assistance

In order to uplift the livelihood of the fishing community in the Northern and Eastern provinces the government has decided to lift all restrictions which were in force to prevent LTTE illegal activities. The decision came into effect after a discussion held by Senior Presidential Advisor Hon. Basil Rajapaksa MP with the fishing community in the two provinces on the directions of the H.E the President.

Private traders/transporters are allowed to transport consumer goods by lorries through A- 9, Kandy – Jaffna highway. A convoy of 40 lorries will be permitted twice a week to travel through A-9 highway. So far nearly 300 private lorry owners registered with government authorities for transport of essential goods to the North. The government is also planning to allow public transport along the road during day time once de-mining process is completed. Read more ...

Goods flow through A9

Around 35 lorries belonging to private traders transporting essential items to the North through the A9 Road left Medawachchiya yesterday morning.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said 35 lorries of private traders have left from Medawachchiya check point carrying essential items to the North on the A9 Road after a lapse of several years.

“These lorries were carrying essential items such as rice, sugar, dhal, oil etc for the Northerners”, he added. He asserted that every three days around 40 lorries will be allowed to transport essential items to the North via the A9 Road. Read more ...