More lorries to be used to transport goods from Colombo to Jaffna

Sri Lanka government has announced its intention to transport goods by 200 lorries from Colombo to Jaffna through the A9 land route soon, sources in Jaffna said. Though the government had made much publicity of opening the A9 route for public transport in April, transport of goods in government lorries had been possible only eight times since then, the sources added.

Now, plans are afoot through the Commissioner of Essential Services (CES) to use 100 to 200 lorries in the transport of goods this time.

Traders in the south who want to send goods to Jaffna have to hand over them to the Sathosa Government Stores in Anuradapura to be transported in lorries registered with the CES.

The goods will be then taken in lorries to Naavatkuzhi Government Stores and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers may drive the lorries on this stretch due to security reasons.

SLA will not permit these lorries to enter Jaffna as it is feared that weapons and explosives may be smuggled to Colombo on their return trip, Jaffna Traders’ Union sources said.

The goods brought to Jaffna in lorries in the last two months were barely enough to meet the needs of the people in Jaffna peninsula.

In the past, major quantity of goods brought to Jaffna from Colombo has been shipped from Colombo.

The probability of goods being transported to Jaffna by lorries is slim as SLA authorities are wary of the security risks involved, the sources added.

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