Sri Lanka’s transport authority to regulate roadside restaurants
The National Transport Commission of Sri Lanka, which issues route licenses to buses, has reportedly announced the setting up and regulating roadside restaurants.
The proposal has been mooted after an elderly lady passenger was reportedly overcharged for hoppers.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Transport Mahinda Amaraweera had received complaints that buses stopping at a wayside restaurant had forced passengers to eat at a buffet, though many wanted only small items of food, a statement said.
“Recently, a group of travellers had consumed food at a restaurant in Ambepussa,” Amaraweera has been quoted as saying.
“An 85-year old lady who had a hopper with lunu miris was charged 700 rupees. Another traveller in the same group was charged 700 rupees for two pieces of milk rice and a piece of fish.”
“Travellers have brought to notice that the government must act to ensure that buffets are charged at reasonable rates depending on what each person has consumed, because not everyone can eat everything presented at a buffet.”
Usually the bus driver and conductor are rewarded with free food and cigarettes at small restaurants. The high priced restaurants are also suspected to be offering commissions, the local media report has noted.
The ministry has meanwhile requested the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to take action against restaurants victimizing travellers.
“It has been decided to set up a chain of restaurants around the country at suitable places by the National Transport Commission under its regulation,” the Transport Ministry has stated.
“The proposed restaurant chain to be built will also have suitable toilets as well as clean food at reasonable prices.”
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s transport sector is a continuously evolving area given the prominence given by the government of Sri Lanka towards improving connectivity and mobility within Sri Lanka. It is this reason that the government has given priority to the development of roads and highways covering all parts of the country. Along with this comes the need to develop the country’s internal transport sector as well as its supplementary infrastructure. Foreign businesses could therefore explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka’s passenger transport sector, especially in the setting up of supplementary infrastructure facilities.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20200109/Z_4 |