country focus: srilanka
Integrated GPS Solutions Regulating Fare Structure www.transport.gov.lk
Overview of Sri Lanka’s Domestic Transport Sector An efficient transport service is one of the pre-conditions for economical and social development in a country. Therefore, provision of an efficient transport service: 1. 2.
leads to increase in productivity reduces production cost of goods and services and thereby improving efficiency of the entire production process 3. caters to reduce economic and social discrepancies in inter-provincial and intra-provincial levels. 4. contributes to reduce poverty by means of reducing production cost, getting competitive price and paving a way to access new opportunities. Seventy percent of the entire population of the country lives in rural areas. Three million people live in Colombo Metropolitan area, whereas the population in the other cities range from 50,000 to 300,000. These indicators need to be considered in planning the transport facilities in Sri Lanka. The road network in Sri Lanka consists of 11,760 kms of National Highways, 15,743 kms of Provincial Highways, 68,843 kms of rural roads and 120,000 kms of footpaths and tracks. The Railway Network consists of 1,449 kms of which only 1,200 kms is operational. Contribution by the Different Transport Modes The following table indicates the Modal Share for Passenger Transport Sri Lanka Transport Sector –Modal Shares (Percentages) of Passenger Transport The entire 68% of the share held by the bus transport gets distributed among public and private buses.
A.T.L.Palitha Samarasinghe
1 2 3 4 5 6
Year Buses (%) 1982 80 1992 71 2001 70 2005 68 2007 68 2008 68
Railways Private (%) (%) 10 10 6 23 6 24 6 26 6 26 5 27
Source – National Transport Commission, Sri Lanka
The performance of each mode of transport in 2008 is shown in the following table. The table includes an approximate cost comparison (cost per passenger / tonne – kms) too.
Mode
•
Strengthening and developing state passenger transport services for operating competitively with the private companies These are of prime importance where IT solutions can be implemented to achieve some or all of them. Application of ICT in Public Transport Sector ICT is an enabling technology. It can be considered as a new engine for modern transport processes, fueled by the resources and driven by the needs of the society. ICT in transport sector is aimed at:
Cost per Cost per Vehicles- Vehicles- Passenger km Passenger km Passenger km – -km – to public to Organisation
Passengers Railways 124 Buses-Public 4277 Buses- Private 13166 Three-wheelers Private Vehicles Freight Railways 12 Trucks/ Vans 20,000
8.4 314 631
4682 15088 33231
0.84 1.20 1.20 20.00 2.75
1.64 0.72 0.56 2.40 2.75
0.3 3000
1.7 5300
4.50 9.00
4.35 0.60
National Transport Policy - 2009 The National Transport Policy, which has been designed by a high level committee will be accepted by the Parliament soon. It mainly focuses on 12 policy areas. However, the policy addresses the following key areas. • Optimum utilisation of available resources • Regulating passenger transport fares
1.
2. 3.
4.
Increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and capacity of existing transportation systems. It includes information processing, communication and control Ensuring safety Enabling collecting and transmitting dynamic information on traffic conditions and transiting schedules for travelers [home, en route, office etc.] Improving transit security and productivity through tracking and dispatching systems egov
june 2010
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