Dec 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka' state-run transport entity, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) says that it would suffer a negative impact if the Private Transport Ministry allocated SLTB bus permits to private buses.

The All Ceylon Transport Employees' Union in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated that there is an attempt to take 1,200 route permits from state buses and hand them over to private bus operators.

The union has noted that the move is expected to take effect from January 2013.

Head of the union, Sepala Liyanage has said the move would have a negative impact on the state run passenger bus service in the long term.

The union has called on the President to intervene and stop the move.

Liyanage has observed that Private Transport Services Minister C. B. Ratnayake had proposed to hand over the route permits currently being used by state bus operators at the Pettah Central Bus Stand to private bus operators.