Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Bimal Rathnayake, announced in Parliament today that installing CCTV cameras will become compulsory for all school vans starting next year.The Minister noted that incidents involving harassment of women and children in public transportation have been on the rise. He assured that the government is preparing a series of measures aimed at improving safety and preventing such behaviour in the future.
As part of these efforts, the Ministry will introduce a new regulatory framework for school transport and office transport services, which is set to take effect in January 2026.
Discussing the broader need to protect passengers, Minister Rathnayake said that public awareness and collective responsibility remain essential.
“The only way forward is to empower passengers. When someone tries to harass a woman or a child, others must step in instead of looking away. Unfortunately, there are challenges within the bus industry that make many people hesitant to intervene,” he told Parliament.
The Minister further stated that ongoing initiatives to standardize and professionalize the bus and three-wheeler sectors aim to move the industry away from unsafe and unregulated practices, establishing a safer and more accountable transportation system.
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