Ministry of Transport and Highways

Ministry of Transport and Highwaysප්‍රවාහන හා මහාමාර්ග අමාත්‍යාංශය
போக்குவரத்து மற்றும் நெடுஞ்சாலைகள் அமைச்சு

Ministry overview
Jurisdiction| Government of Sri Lanka
Headquarters| 7th Floor, Sethsiripaya, Stage II, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
6°55′37.80″N 79°51′35.70″E﻿ / ﻿6.9271667°N 79.8599167°E﻿ / 6.9271667; 79.8599167
Annual budget| Recurrent
රු. 32.919 billion (2019)[1]
Capital
රු. 36.261 billion (2019)[1]
Minister responsible|

* Bimal Rathnayake[2], Minister of Transport and Highways

Ministry executive|

* N.B. Monty Ranatunga, Secretary

Child agencies|

* Department of Motor Traffic
* National Transport Commission
* National Transport Medical Institute
* Sri Lanka Railways
* Sri Lanka Transport Board

Website| transport.gov.lk

The Ministry of Transport and Highways[3] (Sinhala: ප්‍රවාහන හා මහාමාර්ග අමාත්‍යාංශය; Tamil: போக்குவரத்து மற்றும் நெடுஞ்சாலைகள் அமைச்சு) is the central government ministry of Sri Lanka responsible for transport. The ministry is responsible for formulating and implementing national policy on transport and other subjects which come under its purview.[4] The current Minister of Transport and Highways is Vijitha Herath.[5] The ministry's secretary is Nihal Somaweera.[6]

## Ministers

[edit]

The Minister of Transport and Highways is a member of the Cabinet of Sri Lanka.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2014)

|

Ministers of Transport Name  | Portrait  | Party  | Took office  | Left office  | Head of government  | Ministerial title  | Refs

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Mohamed Macan Markar |  |  | 1931 | 1936 |  |  | Minister of Communications and Works | [7]
| John Kotelawala |  |  | 1936 | 1945 |  |  | [8][9]
| United National Party | 26 September 1947 |  |  | D. S. Senanayake | Minister of Transport and Works | [9][10][11]
|  |  | Dudley Senanayake | [9][12][13]
1953 | 1954 |  | John Kotelawala | [9][14]
| Montague Jayawickrama |  |  |  |  | [14]
| Maithripala Senanayake |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 12 April 1956 |  |  | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike | [15][16][17]
| 8 December 1959 |  | W. Dahanayake | Minister of Transport and Power | [18]
| Robert Edward Jayatilaka |  | Independent | 9 December 1959 | 20 March 1960 | Minister of Transport and Works |
| Montague Jayawickrama |  | United National Party | 23 March 1960 | 1960 |  | Dudley Senanayake | Minister of Nationalised Services, Shipping and Transport | [18]
| P. B. G. Kalugalla |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 23 July 1960 |  |  | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Minister of Transport and Works | [19]
| Anil Moonesinghe |  | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 11 June 1964 | March 1965 |  | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Minister of Communications | [20]
| E. L. B. Hurulle |  | United National Party | March 1965 |  |  | Dudley Senanayake | Minister of Communications | [21][22][23]
| Leslie Goonewardena |  | Lanka Sama Samaja Party | 31 May 1970 | 2 September 1975 |  | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Minister of Transport | [24][25][26][27][28][29]
| K. B. Ratnayake |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |  |  |  | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Minister of Transport | [30][31]
| M. H. Mohamed |  | United National Party | 23 July 1977 |  |  | J. R. Jayewardene | Minister of Transport | [32][33][34]
| Wijayapala Mendis |  | United National Party |  |  |  | Ranasinghe Premadasa | Minister of Transport and Highways | [35][36][37]
| Srimanee Athulathmudali |  | Democratic United National Front (L) | 1994 | 1997 |  | D. B. Wijetunga | Minister of Transport, Highways, Environment and Women's Affairs | [38][39][40]
| Dinesh Gunawardena |  | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna | 19 October 2000 |  |  | Chandrika Kumaratunga | Minister of Transport | [41]
14 September 2001 |  | Minister of Transport and Environment Protection | [42][43]
| Gamini Athukorala |  | United National Party | 12 December 2001 |  | Minister of Transport, Highways and Aviation | [44][45]
| Felix Perera |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 10 April 2004 |  | Minister of Transport | [46][47][48]
| A. H. M. Fowzie |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 23 November 2005 |  |  | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Minister of Railways and Transport | [49][50][51]
| Dullas Alahapperuma |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 28 January 2007 |  | Minister of Transport | [52][53][54]
| Kumara Welgama |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 23 April 2010 |  | [55][56][57]
| R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara |  | United National Party | 12 January 2015 | 17 August 2015 |  | Maithripala Sirisena | Minister of Internal Transport  | [58][59][60]
| Nimal Siripala de Silva |  | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | 4 September 2015 | 14 October 2015 | Minister of Transport  | [61][62][63]
14 October 2015 | 15 December 2018 | Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation  | [64]
| Arjuna Ranatunga |  | Democratic National Movement  | 15 December 2018 | 21 November 2019 | Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation  |
| Mahinda Amaraweera |  | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna | 22 November 2019  | 12 August 2020  |  | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Ministry of Transport Services Management  |
| Gamini Lokuge |  | 12 August 2020  | 23 May 2022  | Minister of Transport  |
| Bandula Gunawardane |  | 23 May 2022  | 22 July 2022  | Minister of Transport and Highways  |
|  | 22 July 2022  | 24 September 2024  |  | Ranil Wickremesinghe
| Vijitha Herath |  | National People's Power | 24 September 2024  | 18 November 2024  |  | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation
| Bimal Rathnayake |  | 18 November 2024  | Present  |  | [65]

## Secretaries

[edit]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2015)

|

Transport Secretaries Name  | Took office  | Left office  | Title  | Refs

|
|
|
|

M. Rajendra | 1964 |  | Permanent Secretary | [66][67]
D. S. Jayaweera |  |  | Transport Secretary | [68]
D. T. P. Collure | 5 May 2008 |  | Transport Secretary | [69]
Lalithasiri Gunaruwan | 25 April 2010 |  | Transport Secretary | [70]
B. M. U. D. Basnayake | 22 November 2010 |  | Transport Secretary | [71]
Dhammika Perera | 12 January 2011 |  | Transport Secretary | [72][73][74]
Lalithasiri Gunaruwan | 22 January 2015 |  | Internal Transport Secretary | [75][76]
Nihal Somaweera | 8 September 2015 |  | Transport Secretary | [77][78][79]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "THE GAZETTE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA 2019" (PDF). The Gazette of Sri Lanka. 71: 20. 5 February 2019.
2. ^ "Bimal Rathnayake appointed as Transport minister - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
3. ^ "Extra Gazette No. 2281/41 of 27.05.2022 (Duties and Functions)" (PDF). documents.gov.lk. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
4. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA Notification" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1933/13. 21 September 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
5. ^ "LIST OF CABINET MINISTERS". cabinetoffice.gov.lk. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
6. ^ "Secretaries to the Ministries". President's Media Division News.
7. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 7: State Councils – elections and boycotts". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-02-07.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
8. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers – A Sinhalese ploy". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2001-12-24.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. ^ a b c d de Silva, K. M.; Wriggins, William Howard (1988). J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka: 1906-1956. University of Hawaii Press. p. 325\. ISBN 9780824811839.
10. ^ "First cabinet had only 14 ministers". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 23 September 2007.
11. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 12: Tryst with independence". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-01-03.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
12. ^ Ceylon Year Book 1951 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Ceylon. pp. 27–28.
13. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 14: Post-colonial realignment of political forces". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-01-03.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. ^ a b Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 15: Turbulence in any language". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-02-08.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
15. ^ Ceylon Year Book 1956 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Ceylon. pp. 10–11.
16. ^ Ceylon Year Book 1959 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Ceylon. pp. 9–10.
17. ^ Wijenayake, Walter (11 July 2010). "Maithripala Senanayake - an illustrious leader of Sri Lanka". The Island (Sri Lanka).
18. ^ a b Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 17: Assassination of Bandaranaike". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-02-15.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
19. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 18: Srimavo - weeping arrogance". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2001-12-17.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
20. ^ http://www.caa.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=614:history-in-brief-with-former-ministers&catid=78&lang=en&Itemid=916 [dead link‍]
21. ^ Ceylon Year Book 1968 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Ceylon. p. 15.
22. ^ Hettiarachchi, Milinda (3 May 2009). "In victory or defeat he was the gentleman politician". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
23. ^ "Late Deshamanya E. L. B. Hurulle". The Island (Sri Lanka). 17 May 2009.
24. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 21: A further lack of perspicuity". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-01-27.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
25. ^ Wickramasinghe, Nira (2006). Sri Lanka in the Modern Age: A History of Contested Indentities. University of Hawaii Press. p. 235\. ISBN 0-8248-3016-4.
26. ^ Fernando, Gihan A. (28 June 2010). "Captain 'Sus' Jayasekera". The Island (Sri Lanka).
27. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 24: Tamil militancy - a manifestation". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-02-13.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
28. ^ de Silva, E. Shelton (23 January 2014). "Remembering Sri Lanka's worst rail-road tragedy". Ceylon Today.
29. ^ "When bus services were nationalised". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 28 December 2008.
30. ^ Sri Lanka Year Book 1975 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. p. 19.
31. ^ Ramanayake, V. K. J. (13 May 2004). "Appreciation: Dr. K. B. Ratnayake". The Island (Sri Lanka).
32. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 25: War or peace?". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-04-16.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
33. ^ Sri Ameresekere, Nihal (2013). Politics, Justice and the Rule of Law: Presidential and General Elections 2010 Political Realities. AuthorHouse. p. 6\. ISBN 978-1-4817-8176-3.
34. ^ de Silva, Neville (9 November 2003). "Mohamed tells his story, relevant or not". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
35. ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 43: Aftermath of the Indian withdrawal". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 2002-08-02.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
36. ^ Wimalaratne, Sarath (16 December 2012). "A Devout Buddhist, An extraordinary husband and father and A man of the people WIJYAPALA MENDIS - 84th Birthday Remembrance". The Island (Sri Lanka).
37. ^ Wisumperuma, Dhanesh (9 December 2012). "Story of the Matara-Hambantota-Kataragama Railway -the much awaited extension". The Nation (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
38. ^ "The New Cabinet" (PDF). Tamil Times. XIII (8): 4. 15 August 1994. ISSN 0266-4488.
39. ^ Wickrematunge, Raisa (28 February 2010). "For Better Or For Worse…". The Sunday Leader.
40. ^ "Srimani Athulathmudali dies". TamilNet. 1 December 2004.
41. ^ "SLMC, EPDP get plum portfolios". TamilNet. 19 October 2000.
42. ^ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (15 September 2001). "18 member Cabinet sworn in yesterday". The Island (Sri Lanka).
43. ^ "New Cabinet". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 15 September 2001.
44. ^ "Wickremesinghe appoints cabinet of 25". TamilNet. 12 December 2001.
45. ^ "UNF govt. cabinet sworn-in". The Island (Sri Lanka). 13 December 2001.
46. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1335/24. 10 April 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2014.
47. ^ "The new UPFA Cabinet". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 April 2004.
48. ^ "JVP boycotts UPFA cabinet swearing in ceremony". TamilNet. 10 April 2004.
49. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1420/28. 23 November 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2007.
50. ^ Kotelawala, Himal (9 May 2010). "New site gives hope to some vendors". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
51. ^ "Private bus operators warn of strike". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 18 June 2006.
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53. ^ "The New Cabinet". The Island (Sri Lanka). 29 January 2007.
54. ^ "New Cabinet of Ministers sworn in". Current Affairs. The Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2007-02-13.
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56. ^ "The New Cabinet". The Sunday Leader. 25 April 2010.
57. ^ "New Parliament, New Cabinet" (PDF). The Nation (Sri Lanka). 25 April 2010.
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59. ^ "New Cabinet ministers sworn in". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 January 2015.
60. ^ "New Cabinet takes oaths". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
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65. ^ "Sri Lanka Ports Authority - News Letter". www.slpa.lk. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
66. ^ Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon. p. 156.
67. ^ "How 'Sri' number plates came to Jaffna". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
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70. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1652/02. 3 May 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-24. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
71. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1681/04. 22 November 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
72. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1691/46. 1 February 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
73. ^ "Dammika as transport secretary". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 January 2011.
74. ^ "Transport Secretary takes over duties: Dhammika puts on new thinking cap". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 21 January 2011.
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78. ^ "44 new Ministry Secretaries appointed". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 8 September 2015.
79. ^ "New Secretaries to Ministries appointed". The Island (Sri Lanka). 9 September 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* transport.gov.lk

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