Sri Lanka’s deadly game of death on its highways came full circle as 22 passengers plunged to their deaths when a bus crashed down a mountain on Sunday revealing that the country’s killer transport system is about lorries turned into passenger transport.
Among the dead were women and children who were travelling in cramped up conditions in the state owned bus that carried 27 passengers in excess of its recommended number of 50.
But what is now most alarming in the aftermath of the tragedy is that lorries imported from India are being used as public transport.
“These are not busses but lorries installed with seats to transport people. There is a big difference between a lorry and a bus,” said Professor Sanjaya Perera, Convenor of Road Safety Affairs.
He warned of more tragedies as Sri Lanka’s public transport system has gone from bad to worse over the past five years.
“Laws governing road and passenger safety are not respected in this country and it is time something was done to correct the situation”, said Professor Perera.
He noted that upto as many as seven or eight school children are packed into three wheel tuk-tuks that are designed for just three during morning rush hours.
The government said it has set up a committe to probe Sunday’s calamity but very little is expected to be done before more lives are lost.
