Sri Lankan authorities mull buying advanced buses from China

Sri Lanka is in talks with China to import hybrid buses to upgrade the island's public transport sector, the media reported on Tuesday. State Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ashoka Abeysinghe said that he was in discussions with Chinese companies which manufacture hydrogen-powered buses and hybrid buses and the procurement plan to purchase the buses had been finalized, Xinhua news agency reported. The minister said he hopes to expedite the process and open the tenders in the coming 28 weeks.

"I went to China a couple of months ago and visited the Chinese companies... We are looking at hybrid buses as we do not have enough charging stations for electric buses," Abeysinghe added. Sri Lanka is looking to boost its public transport infrastructure, particularly in Colombo, amid rising tourist numbers and increased road congestion. A recent government survey estimated that by 2030 more than 60 per cent of the island's population will depend on public transport to travel to the capital.

(With inputs from agencies.)