Sri Lanka launches low-floor bus service for disabled and special needs passengers

Sri Lanka today (April 21) launched a pilot low-floor bus service from the Makumbura Multimodal Center under the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, adding 10 specially designed buses to improve transport access for persons with disabilities and other passengers with special needs.

The new service was inaugurated under the patronage of Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake. The buses have been designed to make boarding easier for wheelchair users, visually impaired passengers, and pregnant mothers, while also remaining open to other passengers.

Each bus has 30 seats and includes a separate space for passengers travelling in wheelchairs. The pilot project is now being operated on the Makumbura–Colombo Fort and Makumbura–Kadawatha routes, which also pass major healthcare institutions including the National Hospital in Colombo and Apeksha Hospital in Maharagama.

Addressing the event, Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the launch marked a special day for Sri Lanka’s transport sector and described the service as one of the government’s newest development initiatives since coming to power around 18 months ago. He said such buses had not previously been added to Sri Lanka’s road network.

The Minister said the service gives priority to the disabled community while also meeting the need for safe, comfortable, and reliable public transport for other passengers. Referring to the direction of public transport development, he said there are plans to add 122 more buses of this type before the end of this year.

He also said steps would be taken in future to expand the service beyond the capital to areas such as Kandy, Batticaloa, Matara, and Jaffna. Rathnayake further said transport should be treated as an industry and called on responsible stakeholders to work together to further develop the service.

The LMT GO app was also introduced at the event to give passengers quick and easy access to service-related information in a more efficient and convenient way.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, representatives of the political authority, officials from the “Clean Sri Lanka” Secretariat, officials of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, and many officials from institutions under the Ministry also attended the occasion.

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