By The Pulseline News Desk
The long-delayed Light Rail Transit (LRT) project is unlikely to be revived, with the Government indicating that it is no longer considered economically viable and that attention will instead be directed towards alternative public transport solutions.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday (9), Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake said a recent assessment had found that the proposed LRT system would not provide sufficient economic returns in relation to its cost.
“We have carried out a study on it and it seems that the light train project is not viable, considering its cost and the limited number of commuters who would use it. We have decided it is not viable because of these facts,” the Minister said.
Ratnayake said the Government is instead examining alternative mass transit projects, including a Metro Bus system, which he said appears to be a more practical and economically sustainable option for improving public transportation.
The Minister’s remarks signal a major policy shift on one of Sri Lanka’s most ambitious urban transport projects, which has remained stalled for several years.
The LRT project was originally proposed to ease chronic traffic congestion in the Colombo metropolitan area by introducing a modern electric rail network connecting key suburbs with the city centre. The first phase was planned to run from Malabe to Colombo Fort, with several additional corridors proposed for later stages.
The project was expected to be financed through a concessional loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and was widely regarded as the country’s largest urban rail investment.
However, in 2020, the previous Government cancelled the project, arguing that it was too costly and not suited to Sri Lanka’s transport requirements. The decision drew criticism from transport planners and prompted concern from Japan, which had committed funding for the initiative.
In subsequent years, there were repeated discussions on whether the project could be revived, particularly as Colombo’s traffic congestion continued to worsen and demand for efficient public transport increased.
The latest statement by the Transport Minister suggests the Government has now moved away from the LRT proposal altogether, favouring bus-based mass transit solutions that require significantly lower capital investment while serving a larger number of commuters.
Authorities are yet to announce detailed plans for the proposed Metro Bus project, including its routes, financing model and implementation timeline. However, the Government has maintained that expanding affordable and efficient public transport remains a key priority as it seeks to improve urban mobility while managing limited public finances.
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