National Recognition: GCF Team Grant 2025-26 Awarded to Transport Research Initiative

In a remarkable achievement for transport economics research in Sri Lanka, the Gamani Corea Foundation (GCF) has awarded its prestigious Team Grant for 2025-26 to a distinguished research team led by Prof. M. A. K. Sriyalatha, alongside Dr. Priyantha Lalanie and Dr. M.P.K. Withanawasam. The award was conferred under the GCF Research Awards 2025/2026, marking the team’s second successive recognition in this flagship national research programme.

The Gamani Corea Foundation, established to promote high-quality policy-oriented research for socio-economic development, awarded a total of 22 research grants at the second round of the 2025-26 cycle on 18 December 2025 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo. This annual awards programme prioritises economic research and multidisciplinary studies that generate evidence to address key development challenges facing Sri Lanka.

The grant will support the team’s project titled “The Dark Side of Public Transportation in Sri Lanka: A Study of Financial Losses, Underutilization, and Service Inefficiencies in State-owned Transit Systems.” This study aims to uncover the underlying causes of persistent financial losses and service inefficiencies within state-owned transit systems and the factors contributing to underutilisation of public transport in both urban and rural contexts.

Prof. Sriyalatha expressed gratitude for the award and highlighted the research’s potential to influence public policy and transport sector reform, especially at a time when sustainable mobility solutions are critical for economic and social development. Through this second consecutive GCF Research Award, the team continues to contribute to evidence-based dialogue on national economic policy, reinforcing the importance of rigorous, interdisciplinary research in confronting structural challenges within Sri Lanka’s public services.