Despite stiff opposition from the Private Bus Owners Association, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has called for tenders to operate eight new routes.

Bus owners want route permits given to them without calling for tenders. The NTC also imposed 19 conditions for successful tenderers to abide by.

Chairman NTC Prof. Amal Kumarage said fines ranging from Rs 2,000 to 15,000 would be imposed on bus owners who violate the conditions and the route permits would be cancelled if they repeat the offence

Officials of the Transport Ministry, Traffic Police and engineers attached to the RMV have already commenced inspecting long-distance services buses. They would report back to the NTC on the shortcomings and recommend improvements. They will also catergorise the buses as luxury and semi-luxury.

The route numbers for which tenders have been called are 8-580 (Colombo to Dehiattakandiya via Kandy, Matale and Naula), 99-9 (Colombo to Lunugala via Ratnapura, Balangoda and Passara), 4-3/842/11 (Colombo to Pulmoddai via Anuradhapura, Medawachchiya and Kebitigollewa), 98 (Colombo to Akkaraipattu via Kaduwela, Ratnapura, Monaragala and Siyambalanduwa), 910/21/1 (Colombo to Kalmunai via Kandy, Rajamawatha, Bibile and Ampara), 314/581/42 (Anuradhapura to Badulla via Hettipola and Mahiyangana), 64/98 (Panadura to Ampara via Ratnapura and Beragala, 48-1 (Colombo to Batticaloa via Habarana and Kaduruwela).