Diesel shortage threatens to cripple bus services this weekend

Around 400 inter-provincial buses could not operate yesterday due to the current diesel shortage, Inter- Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) President Sarath Vijitha Kumara said.

He said that if the shortages continued, inter-provincial buses would have to stop operating over the weekend.

“Some filling stations ration diesel. I understand why they are doing so, but this is a great inconvenience for inter provincial bus operators because we travel long distances. We can’t keep on stopping at fuel stations along the way as commuters are already angry enough,” Kumara said.

President of Lanka Private Bus Operators Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijerathne said that some of them had been compelled to pump super diesel and thus had incurred significant drops in profit.

“The government can’t ensure continuous supply of fuel. If diesel is not available over the weekend, public transport will come to a standstill,” he said.