Touts at Pettah bus stand redirecting tourists to private vans

100% a scam. Unless it is on the national news, the CTB government buses are almost never fully on strike. These touts wear fake lanyards to look official. They lie so they can herd tourists into their overpriced private minivans, which will not depart until every single seat is sold (often making you wait 2 hours). Walk past them directly to the big red buses.