Sri Lanka resumes public transport in capital

Colombo, June 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Transport Ministry said it had resumed public transport services in capital Colombo and the outskirts of Gampaha after over two months of no reported public transmission of COVID-19.Transport Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said buses and trains had resumed normal services in Colombo and Gampaha from Monday, but strict health guidelines would be maintained, reports Xinhua news agency. This included carrying only a limited number of passengers per trip, all passengers had to wear face masks and distance had to be maintained between passengers.urther, an additional number of passenger buses were deployed on the roads on Monday to cater to the high demand of passengers, the Minister said.Sri Lanka has recorded over 1,800 cases of the COVID-19, out of which 990 have recovered and been discharged, bringing down total active cases to over 800. Eleven deaths have been reported from the virus.A curfew continues to be imposed nationwide from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. to prevent public gatherings at night while the public has been urged to follow strict health guidelines when staying outdoors.
--IANS ksk/