(UTV | COLOMBO) – The Vehicle Regulation State Ministry is going ahead with a plan to ensure that all Western Province three-wheelers are fitted with taxi meters by January 15.
Ministry Secretary Lalith de Alwis told that, the scheme would be extended to all parts of the country on a phase-by-phase basis by June 15.
He said they arranged the scheme to be implemented province-vice taking into consideration financial difficulties three-wheel operators faced due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic situation.
The secretary said the ministry had decided to re-implement regulations which were gazetted in September 2017 and came into operation from 2018. However, the regulations were not actively implemented due to various factors such as political pressure and protests by three-wheel operators’ unions in 2018.
He said the ministry was urging three-wheel operators to fix Sri Lanka Standard Institute (SLSI)-approved taxi meters. Currently there are six brands of SLSI-approved meters.