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The facility for obtaining the fitness medical certificate issued by the National Transport Medical Institute, through the e-channeling service was launched on 20.11.2020 at the National Transport Medical Institute at Nugegoda under the patronage of Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Transport and Hon. Dilum Gamage, State Minister of Transport. This facility enables people to make an appointment for a convenient time, get all required medical tests done within this time and obtain the medical certificate speedily. 

Thus, this service jointly facilitated by the National Transport Medicine Institute and the e-channeling service, can be obtained by calling 225 on any telecommunication network or by calling 1225 on the Sri Lanka Telecom network. This service is also available at all branches of the National Transport Medicine Institute island wide.     

With the introduction of this service, the driving license applicants have the convenience of obtaining the medical certificate required for getting the driving license, without having to waste time waiting in queues.  

Mr. Monti Ranathunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Lalith D. Alwis, Secretary to the State Ministry of Transport, Mr. Sumith Alahakon, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, Mr. Raohan Fernando, Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, Mr. Sumith Nissanka, Deputy Inspector General of Police – motor traffic control and road safety, Mrs. Champika Amarasooriya, Chairman of Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Dr. Shavendra Gamage, Chairman of National Transport Medical Institute, and the invitees as well as the officers of the relevant institutions and journalists were present on this occasion.

At the request of Hon. Dharamadasa Panditharathana and Hon. Kamal Ranjana, members of the Kesbewa Urban Council, and on the instructions of Hon. Gamini Lokuge, the Minister of Transport, a bus service was commenced on 05.10.2020 by deploying  a bus belonging to the Maharagama Depot of Sri Lanka Transport Board to operate during 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 a.m. towards Maharagama via Makuluduwa, Arewwala and Moraketiya, starting its journey from near the Samurdhi Bank of Kaliyammahara for the convenience of the people of the area.        

This bus service was vested in the public with a short launching ceremony. Members of the Kesbewa Urban Council, Mr. Sumana Vivian Ranaweera, Mr. Dharmadasa Panditharathna, Mr. Kamal Ranjana and Superintendent of Maharagama Depot as well as a host of the people of the area were present on this occasion.

සාමාන්‍ය පරිදි ප්‍රවාහන සේවා සැපයීමට නොහැකි වී ඇති කොව්ඩ් 19 වෛරස් වසංගත තත්වය තුල අනුගමනය සඳහා වන ප්‍රතිපත්ති හා උපදෙස් මාලාව

A meeting between Mrs. Hanah Singer, United Nations Residential Coordinator and Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Transport, held on 05.10.2020 at the Ministry of Transport. At this meeting, Hon. Minister and Mrs. Singer discussed the importance of encouraging the public transport uses of Sri Lanka towards following hygiene practices and maintaining social distance for protection against the Covid 19 disease. Mrs. Singer said that her institution will take action to provide the necessary assistance for the initiative of implementing a sustainable development plan through which the transport sector will play a major role in the economic growth by 2030.     

Speaking further, Mrs. Singer stated that possible assistance will be provided from the United Nations towards minimizing road accidents and providing safe facilities for people for modernization of transport service and delivering an environmental-friendly, comfortable service. She also focused her attention on women’s being molested while travelling by public transport services.         

The Hon. Gamini Lokuge expressing his views, stated that assistance of the United Nations is sought for conducting training and awareness programmes for the drivers and the conductors on ensuring the safety of passengers.    

This occasion was also attended by Mr. Monti Ranathunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Mrs. Sharita Cooray, national programmes and policy analyst of the United Nations, Mr, Thushara Perera, Private Secretary to the Minister of Transport.