After 23 Lives Lost, SLTB Launches Emergency Bus Safety Inspections

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has launched a special inspection campaign to ensure compliance with previously issued circular guidelines for long-distance passenger buses. 

The move follows the tragic accident in Garandi Ella on May 11, which claimed the lives of 23 passengers when a bus plunged into a ravine.

According to SLTB Deputy General Manager T.H.R.T. Chandrasiri, the inspections will verify whether operators are adhering to key safety protocols outlined in a circular issued earlier this year. 

These include:

- Employing drivers with at least three years of experience

- Conducting pre-departure mechanical inspections and maintaining written reports.

- Implementing a standardized scheduling system for long-distance routes.

Twelve regional engineers have been instructed to carry out the inspections across the country.