Bus mafia hold private bus owners to ransom

By Kushali Athukorale
Private bus owners are paying a staggering Rs. 80 million monthly to an organized mafia consisting underworld leaders, police and politicians to ensure the smooth running of their operations, The Bottom Line learns.
It is also learnt that this mafia which has been in operation for several years, also consists of senior officials from the transport authority and provincial council members.

According to sources, if the private bus owners fail to pay the respective amounts to the members of this mafia, they will be subjected to intimidation from underworld gang leaders including police, who will not permit them to operate their busses owing to their failure to pay up.
“The amounts given to the extortionists vary from person to person, as the payments are obtained by individuals posted at various positions, and in charge of various bus routes in order to ensure the smooth running in the designated routes,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the Private Bus Owners’ Associations President Gemunu Wijeratne, has written to Transport Minister Dallas Allahapperuma and the National Transport Commission Chairman Professor Amal Kumarage with a request to revise bus fare twice a year instead the of the annual revision, currently adopted.

The Association has suggested that the bus fares be revised in the months of January and July.