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Questions about who really owns the Metro Bus service, which links Colombo and nearby areas and is run by Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd (LMT), spread on social media in recent days. One post claimed that buses bought with public money were handed to a private company owned by the Transport Minister’s younger brother and his wife, and that the name “Metro” came from their initials. Here are the posts that carried the claim.
Social Media Posts:
A social media post claimed that Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd is owned by Methsiri Herath and his wife, Rohini Gunasinghe, and that the name “Metro” was formed from the first letters of their names. It said they are the Transport Minister’s younger brother and his wife. It further claimed that the buses were bought with public funds and handed over to the company, which returns 60% of its profits to the Government while the Government bears the cost of maintaining the buses.
Other posts also claimed that the Metro Buses are not government-owned.
We set out to verify whether this is true or false.
Fact-Check:
Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd is a wholly state-owned private company affiliated with the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). It was registered on October 3, 2025, under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007. The Government of Sri Lanka owns 100% of it, and it operates under the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.
The company is registered as a “Pvt Ltd” to operate on a commercial footing
It was registered under the Companies Act so that it could operate as a profitable, efficient business that makes quick decisions, outside the usual government department procedures.
The government holds 100% of the shares and private parties hold none
Private parties have no shareholding in the company. The SLTB holds 60% of the shares and the Sri Lanka Treasury holds the remaining 40%. Structurally and legally, it is a state-owned private company funded entirely by the government. More information is available here and here.
No individuals named “Methsiri Herath” or “Rohini Gunasinghe” own or direct the company
Lanka Metro Transit is not a private company owned by two individuals named “Methsiri Herath” and “Rohini Gunasinghe.” Neither the Transport Ministry’s nor Lanka Metro Transit’s official board of directors include anyone with those names. The names were deliberately invented to make people believe that “METRO” (MET + RO) was formed from their initials.
No private individual owns the company, and the claim that its name was formed from their initials is a complete fabrication.
“Metro” is a common international term for public transport systems
“Metro” is a common international term for the large-scale, organized and fast public transport systems of major world cities. It derives from the widely used English word “Metropolitan” (urban). Many countries use “Metro” for their underground or elevated rail systems, for example the Paris Metro, the Delhi Metro and the Dubai Metro.
Many cities worldwide have also introduced modern bus services that run efficiently on dedicated lanes. Internationally they are called BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) or Metrobus / Metro Transit. “Metrobus” services operate in London, Istanbul, Washington, and Mexico City, for example. Sri Lanka has adopted the same international concept to suit the country.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer said it is 100% government-owned
Lanka Metro Bus company Chief Executive Officer Eng. B. M. Piyathilaka clarified the posts in a discussion. He said the company is a state-owned private entity, 100% owned by the Government. He said 60% of the shares are held by the Ministry of Finance and 40% by the Transport Board.
The Chairman confirmed the company is wholly government-owned
We also asked the Chairman of Lanka Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd. He said it is a wholly government-owned private company, registered under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007, with its shares entirely held by the Government. He said it was not created with shareholdings by other individuals or by using their names, as the social media posts claim. He added that such false posts kept circulating on social media despite repeated clarifications.
The Transport Minister’s Media Secretary said the Minister’s relatives do not own it
We also asked the Media Secretary of the Minister of Transport and Highways, who likewise said that Lanka Metro is a government-owned private company. He confirmed that it is not owned by the Minister’s relatives and was not created using their names, as the social media posts claim. It was registered under the Companies Act for more efficient operations, and he confirmed that the Government owns all of its shares.
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Conclusion:
Our fact-check found the post completely false and fabricated. It claimed that Metro Transit (Pvt) Ltd is owned by Methsiri Herath and Rohini Gunasinghe, that “Metro” was formed from their initials, that they are the Transport Minister’s younger brother and his wife, and that 60% of bus profits go to the Government.
Lanka Metro Transit is a wholly state-owned private company registered under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007, with 100% of its shares held by the Government. Its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer and the Transport Minister’s Media Secretary all confirmed this.
The claim that its name came from those initials is entirely false. “Metro” is a common term for public transport systems in major cities worldwide.
Title: Lanka Metro Bus Is Fully State-Owned, Not Owned by Transport Minister’s Relatives
Fact Check By: B. P. Hansani
Result: False
