Third Metro Bus depot opens at Ekala with 20 new buses

Sri Lanka’s third Metro Bus depot began operations at Ekala in Ja-Ela yesterday (September 9, 2026), with 20 new buses scheduled to be added to the service from the new facility.

The Ekala depot follows the opening of the first Metro Bus depot at Thalangama on September 4, 2026 and the second depot yard at Kadawatha on September 7, 2026.

The new depot was opened under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, with the participation of Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha.

Operational and administrative services for the Metro Bus project have now begun from the Ekala depot.

The Metro Bus route connecting Ekala in the Gampaha District with Thalangama in the Colombo District covers a distance of 29.9 kilometres.

A total of 21 Metro Bus stops have been established along the route. They are Thalangama, Battaramulla Junction, Sethsiripaya, NAITA, Rajagiriya, Castle Hospital, Borella 02 YMBA, Campbell Park, Dematagoda, Peliyagoda (New Kelani Bridge), Peliyagoda 02, Hekitta Junction, Wattala, Hendala, Mabole, Mahabage, Kandana, Weligampitiya, Ja-Ela, CTB Junction and Ekala.

The Metro Bus service was introduced as a pilot project with operations on two routes as part of efforts to improve the efficiency of urban public transport in Sri Lanka.

Five more Metro Bus routes have since been introduced, increasing the planned network to seven routes.

The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, the Sri Lanka Transport Board and Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt.) Ltd. are jointly working to operate Metro Bus services on all seven routes from September.