CHOGM Luxury Buses Back on the Road after Years of Neglect
- CNL Reporter
- August 20, 2025
- Political
- CHOGM
- 0 Comments
Nearly a decade after they were imported at massive cost for the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, nine out of 35 luxury buses have finally been restored and redeployed for passenger transport. The move comes as the government attempts to salvage value from a controversial purchase that once symbolized extravagance and waste.
The fleet of 35 super luxury buses was brought down in 2013 under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration to ferry CHOGM delegates between venues and hotels. Official records show that billions of rupees were spent not only on the buses but also on extensive infrastructure projects to host the high-profile summit.
Once the event concluded, however, the majority of these buses were left idle at depots, deteriorating without any accountability or clear plan for their use.
At a ceremony held yesterday at the Katubedda Super Luxury Tourist Depot, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena confirmed that nine buses had been repaired at a cost of Rs. 375 lakh.
He said the government had already procured spare parts to restore the rest of the fleet and expressed confidence that all remaining buses would return to service within the next three months
