Transport Minister announces digitisation of public transport

Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi yesterday announced plans to digitise the public transport service in 2022. The Minister made the announcement during a meeting with Ministry officials.

The digitisation programme would be implemented through the ‘Sahasara’ project and GPS technology would be provided to 2,000 private buses. The estimated cost of the project had been placed at Rs. 200 million, she said.

The Minister pointed out that with the GPS facility installed in a bus, commuters would be able to find out its arrival time and the number of passengers it carried through a free mobile app.

Minister Wanniarachchi also said that the Ministry of Transport was also planning to introduce an e-ticket to the public next year. She said under a project named 3K, the Ministry would expand the ‘Park and Ride’ system with the aim of reducing traffic congestion in the city of Colombo by setting up eight more multiple transport hubs in eight major cities..