News
Johnston offers technological solution to expressway tollgate delays
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said that action would be taken to introduce electronic toll collection (ETC) at expressways to help alleviate traffic congestion, reduce delays, fuel consumption, and vehicle emissions.
Fernando said that a cashier at manual toll collection (MTC) centres in expressways takes around 12 to 15 seconds to collect the toll from a single vehicle and hand back the receipt. The ETC could reduce this to around six seconds and help the vehicles leave the expressways faster. This would be very helpful during rush-hours where we usually see lines of vehicles at the toll collection centres, the Minister said.
Minister Fernando said that ETCs are currently installed at the Colombo-Katunayake expressway and they would be introduced to other toll collection centres and inter-changes soon.
He said that it has been found by many studies that highway vehicle emissions could result in adverse health problems to nearby residents and workers, especially during traffic congestion. In response, the policy to promote ETC could help alleviate traffic congestion, as compared to MTC. That could also help reduce air pollution and improve public health. “Expressway users too can help promote this by starting to use pre-paid ETC cards. If we promote the ETC pre-paid card system it could help reduce traffic congestion at inter-changes by allowing drivers to move in and out of toll systems without delay. The ETCs can improve the speed and efficiency of traffic flow and save drivers’ time. According to foreign studies, the MTCs can handle only about 350 vehicles per hour while an ETC counter could process around 1,200 vehicles per hour. As a result of better flow, congestion is reduced, fuel economy is improved, and pollution is reduced. It could help increase revenue because of time savings, faster throughput, and better service to attract more customers. It has been observed that ETCs could reduce accident rates and improve safety because of less slow-and-go driving. This will increase efficiency of roads because of better distribution between toll and non-toll routes,” the Minister said.
“In short, ETCs mean reduced delay, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced emissions,” the Minister said.
He said that while he had been travelling recently in expressways, it was noticed that some cashier counters at MTCs were shut down. “When I made inquiries from Ministry officials, I was told that there was a shortage of cashiers to serve in toll collection centres. Some of those who had obtained appointments as cashiers in the expressways have been deployed as management assistants at regional offices, citing service requirements. I instructed officials to redeploy them to counters so that it could help speed up the MTC process till we introduce ETCs to all roads.”
The Minister issued those instructions during a meeting held at the Highways Ministry to review the progress of Expressways Operational Management Unit and its future course of action.
Among those present were Secretary to the Ministry of Highways RWR Pemasiri, Director General of the Road Development Authority Sardha Weerakoon and other officials including, the director of the Expressways Operational Management Unit.
Power sector workers shouldn’t be granted year-end bonuses
Leader of the Eksath Janaraja Peramuna (EJP) and former Power Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that CEB workers shouldn’t be granted year end/Christmas bonuses as they had not contributed to the much favourable current financial status of that state-owned enterprise.
Ex-parliamentarian Ranawaka said that the CEB had earned massive profits solely by implementing extremely unfair tariff structure, therefore workers shouldn’t be paid bonuses.
The former Minister was addressing the media at the EJP Colombo office. Referring to official records, the EJP leader said that the CEB had earned a profit of Rs. 6161 mn in 2023 and also saved Rs. 36 bn. So far this year (January to November), the CEB had recorded Rs. 263 bn profit but the government continued to fleece consumers.
Ranawaka also questioned the failure on the part of the government to provide electricity consumers relief as decided by the Cabinet during the previous government that there would be quarterly revision of pricing formula.
Ranawaka said that the government should explain why it couldn’t decrease fuel prices by a significant amount. The NPP administration should at least admit that it couldn’t do away with the current unbearable tax regime. The ex-parliamentarian asked the NPP to acknowledge that the government feared collapse in case of abolition of heavy taxes on fuel.
The ex-Minister challenged the NPP to prove accusations that had been directed at ministers of previous governments without propagating allegations. According to Ranawaka, both diesel and petrol prices remained high as the government levied Rs 50 and 72 on diesel and petrol, respectively, in addition to 18% VAT (Value Added Tax).
Ranawaka pointed out that in addition to Ceypetco, IOC and Sinopec had been levying taxes heavily with diesel (Rs 88-94) and petrol (Rs 110-117) imports per litre (SF)
A person who had been apprehended by protesting Development Officers during a noisy demonstration outside the Education Ministry at Isurupaya and handed over to police was subsequently identified as a member of the Military Intelligence.
Police said that those demanding they be made permanent in the teaching service alleged that the apprehended man allegedly caused injuries to policemen deployed at the scene.
A Sub-Inspector of Police (SI) and two constables were injured. (HR)
Muhammathu Saali Naleem was sworn in as a member of the Tenth Parliament yesterday before Speaker Dr. Asoka Ranwala.
Following the oath taking, Naleem signed the Members’ Roll in the presence of Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, marking his formal induction into the legislative body. Naleem was appointed as a National List Member of Parliament, representing the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).
The inaugural session of the Tenth Parliament took place on November 21st, 2024, with members taking their oaths the following day. On November 22nd, the Election Commission issued a gazette notification confirming Naleem’s appointment to the National List of the SLMC, paving the way for his oath-taking ceremony yesterday.
Before entering Parliament, Naleem served as the Chairman of the Eravur Urban Council, bringing valuable local governance experience to his new role as a lawmaker.
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