The government has announced plans to enhance facilities for disabled commuters in public transport, following discussions at the first Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting on Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation. Officials from the Railway Department confirmed that, in addition to existing services, further measures will be implemented to improve accessibility.
This announcement was made during the committee meeting held in Parliament on 24 January, chaired by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake. The session, attended by 60 MPs and 40 officials, also addressed key issues in transport and infrastructure.
To streamline decision-making, three sub-committees were appointed under the Ministerial Consultative Committee. One will focus on occupational safety for transport professionals, another on strengthening the legal framework for the transport sector, and a third on generating revenue through additional transport-related services.
Minister Ratnayake emphasised that these committees will work beyond political divisions to find practical solutions for the transport, highways, ports, and civil aviation sectors. The discussion also covered staffing shortages in the Sri Lanka Transport Board, with steps proposed to address the issue.
