The Sri Lanka Police has unveiled a special security and traffic plan for the opening procession of the historic Kandy Esala Perahera, which begins tomorrow (18) and continues until August 28 under the auspices of the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

The plan includes roadblocks, security duties, vehicle and person checks, guidance for pilgrims, and designated parking arrangements to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow during the festival.

The first Kumbal Perahera will commence at 6.52 pm tomorrow, starting from the Maligawa and proceeding along Dalada Veediya, Colombo Road, Yatinuwara Road, and Raja Veediya, before returning to the Maligawa. The procession route covers a distance of 1.65 km.

Alternative traffic routes during the Perahera are as follows;

• Heavy vehicles from Katugastota → Mahayiyawa Junction → Thilak Ratnayake Mawatha → Police Junction → Kandy city.
• Light vehicles from Katugastota → D.S. Senanayake Veediya → Cross Road → Yatinuwara Road → turn near Meeramakkam Mosque → Thilak Ratnayake Mawatha.
• Vehicles leaving towards Katugastota → Police Junction → Thilak Ratnayake Mawatha → Mahayawa.
• Vehicles from Tennekumbura and Ampitiya → Sangharaja Mawatha → Wells Park Junction → turn at Ahelepola Kumarihami Mawatha → Bogambara → near Railway Station → Colombo (left) or city (right). Entry is also possible via Rajapihilla Mawatha Junction → Palliya Para.
• Vehicles from city towards Ampitiya/Teldeniya → Clock Tower Roundabout → Dalada Veediya → Queen’s Hotel side entrance → past Joy Boat Service → Sangharaja Mawatha. Alternative: Bogambara Roundabout → Ahelepola Kumarihami Mawatha → Rajapihilla Mawatha → Wells Park Junction → Sangharaja Mawatha → Ampitiya/Tennekumbura.
• Vehicles entering or leaving Kandy city towards Colombo → William Gopallawa Mawatha or Old Peradeniya Road.

Police urged the public to cooperate with the traffic arrangements and security measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the Esala Perahera, one of Sri Lanka’s most significant cultural and religious festivals. (Newswire)

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All government schools in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts will reopen tomorrow (05), the Central Province Director of Education announced today.

The schools were closed yesterday (04) due to adverse weather conditions and continuous heavy rainfall, which had raised safety concerns for students and teachers.

The closure was ordered under the instructions of the Secretary to the Central Provincial Ministry of Education, with the primary aim of ensuring the safety of schoolchildren and staff.

With weather conditions easing, authorities confirmed that schools in both districts will resume normal operations from Wednesday. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police have announced that the Colombo–Kandy main road has been closed between Kadugannawa and Ganethenna due to adverse weather conditions in the area.

According to Police, the road was closed as a precautionary measure owing to the risk of rocks sliding onto the roadway.

Motorists have been urged to use alternative routes until further notice. (Newswire)

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Two young athletes from Sri Lanka’s Kandy District will represent the country at the U20 World Athletics Championships in America, scheduled from August 5 to 9.

Saad Falil has qualified for the 100‑metre sprint, becoming the sole South Asian athlete to secure a place in the event. 

Meanwhile, Athib Rifai will compete in the 400‑metre hurdles.

Both athletes are currently undergoing their final training sessions ahead of the tournament. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to safeguard the historical, cultural, and traditional intellectual property of the Kandy Esala Perahera, one of Sri Lanka’s most renowned cultural festivals.

The initiative aligns with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) project titled “Promoting Festival Tourism Development through Intellectual Property”, which aims to strengthen the capacity of cultural festival organizers to use intellectual property rights in tourism development while respecting traditions and heritage.

The Esala Perahera, rooted in centuries‑old art forms and knowledge, has been identified as suitable for submission under this programme. Special focus will be placed on copyright protection and trademarks and branding to preserve the festival’s unique identity.

To prepare and submit the project proposal, the Cabinet endorsed the recommendation of the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, under the joint chairmanship of the Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

A committee comprising all relevant stakeholders will be appointed to oversee the process, to strengthen both festival tourism and the protection of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage on the global stage. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has announced urgent plans to complete construction on four major development projects in Kandy city within the next two years under the Central Province Development Program.

The projects being expedited are the Getambe Junction flyover, Mahaiyawa underground tunnel, William Gopallawa Road expansion, and Louis Peiris Mawatha upgrade, all part of a strategic development plan aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving urban infrastructure.

A field inspection of the projects was carried out yesterday with the participation of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha and Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena.

Work on the Getambe Junction flyover, which had been halted due to political, administrative and financial issues, was restarted in February 2025. The Rs. 14 billion project is designed to ease congestion on the Gannoruwa–Kandy and Peradeniya–Kandy roads.

The William Gopallawa Road is being expanded into four lanes as a solution to daily traffic in Kandy city, with Rs. 675 million allocated. Louis Peiris Mawatha, connecting Kandy–Buwelikada–Ampitiya, is being upgraded with dual lanes and pedestrian paths on both sides, supported by Rs. 539 million in funding. Given its route through landslide‑prone terrain, the project is being developed using the “soil nailing” safety technique to stabilize hill sections.

The Mahaiyawa tunnel road, providing access to the Kandy–Jaffna (A‑009) main road and the upcountry railway line, is also under construction. The tunnel will be 31.7 meters long, 21.8 meters wide and 9 meters high, with a project cost of Rs. 650 million.

The Ministry emphasized that all four projects are being fast‑tracked to deliver tangible benefits to commuters and residents of Kandy within the stipulated timeframe. (Newswire)

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Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament that the government is preparing to introduce metro buses to Kandy as part of a broader package of transport sector improvements. 

Rathnayake noted that the ongoing expansion of the Central Expressway will extend to Galagedera, with plans to eventually connect the route to Gannoruwa. 

“The expansion ends at Galagedera with an expectation to commence Gannoruwa,” he said, outlining the long‑term vision for the corridor.

He added that work is underway to widen the Galagedera–Katugastota bridge and to construct two flyovers near the Peradeniya bridge. 

Renovation of the old Peradeniya bridge is expected to be completed before the end of this year, enabling trains to resume operations on the line.

He said the initiative is aimed at easing congestion and modernizing public mobility in the hill capital. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet has approved the expansion of the Kandy City Wastewater Management Project, extending its scope to cover the University of Peradeniya and prolonging the project timeline until December 31, 2027.

The project, launched in 2010 under a loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has been implemented in four packages. 

At its meeting on January 12, 2026, the Cabinet had already extended the project period from January 2025 to August 2027.

Following a request by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, a feasibility study confirmed the possibility of including the university premises within the project scope. 

The Cabinet has now approved this inclusion, with an estimated cost of Rs. 2,000 million. Of this, Rs. 800 million will be financed through JICA loan funds, while the remaining Rs. 1,200 million will be met from local resources.

The proposal was submitted by the Minister of Housing, Construction, and Water Supply, to strengthen urban wastewater management in Kandy while addressing environmental and public health concerns. (Newswire)

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A 25‑year‑old monk, serving at a temple in Bahirawakanda, has been arrested by the Kandy Police in connection with the sexual abuse of a 15‑year‑old girl, the Police said. 

According to the Police, the suspect, who is the brother of the girl’s father, was taken into custody on May 20 following investigations into the incident.

Police further arrested a 29‑year‑old woman from Bahirawakanda the same day for aiding and abetting the crime.

Both suspects were produced before the Kandy Magistrate’s Court on May 21. 

The monk has been remanded until June 1, while the female suspect was released on two sureties of Rs. 200,000 each.

The Kandy Police is conducting further investigations into the case. (Newswire)

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Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Guansena says renovation work has been completed at 92 of the 97 sections of the Kandy main railway line that were destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah.

Following an inspection of the damaged line, the Deputy Minister noted that only five sites remain to be repaired.

“These five locations are the worst affected, due to landslides, land subsidence, and broken tracks. It is difficult for the Railway Department alone to address this,” he said.

Guansena added that contracts have been awarded for reconstruction at the five sites.

He further expressed hope that train services on the Kandy line, from Colombo Fort via Kadugannawa and Peradeniya, will resume within the year as targeted by the Ministry of Transport. (Newswire)

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Legal action is being taken against a shop in Kandy city after officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) discovered it was hoarding gas stocks while falsely claiming to customers that supplies were unavailable.

The CAA said the raid was carried out on Monday (20) as part of its ongoing nationwide campaign to crack down on merchants who inconvenience the public by hoarding gas and selling it above the stipulated price.

Officials confirmed that the businessman responsible will face legal proceedings in due course.

The Authority stressed that continuous raids are being conducted across the country to protect consumers from unfair practices. (Newswire)

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A tragic accident claimed the life of a schoolboy who was en route to a school Big Match at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy today (02). 

According to the Police, two students were travelling on a motorcycle when it collided head‑on with a bus. 

One of the students had died instantly at the scene, while the other was unhurt.

The Kandy Police have launched investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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Two large‑scale companies producing pharmaceuticals in Sri Lanka, Kelun LifeScience (Pvt) Ltd and Celagen Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, located in the Pallekele Investment Zone in Kandy, were inspected recently by Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa.

According to the government, these two institutions currently manufacture nearly 400 types of medicines, and they are the only two companies in Sri Lanka that have obtained the European Union quality certification (EU GMP).

Kelun LifeScience (Pvt) Ltd also functions as a private institution that produces saline on a large scale in Sri Lanka.

The pharmaceutical production process of Kelun LifeScience (Pvt) Ltd and Celagen Lanka (Pvt) Ltd factories, in compliance with international and national quality management standards, as well as the future plans of the institutions, were inspected by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa during this visit.

Chairman of Kelun and Celagen companies, V. Nadarajah, and Executive Director, I. Sathyamoorthy, also participated in this occasion. (Newswire)

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CCTV footage has captured the dramatic robbery at a gem testing and sales centre on E.L. Senanayake Street in Kandy, where a suspect sprayed liquid at the owner’s face before fleeing with a stock of gems valued at around Rs. 6 million.

According to the Police, the incident occurred at approximately 10:00 am today (13). 

The suspect had entered the premises under the guise of purchasing gems and, while conversing with the businessman, suddenly sprayed liquid at him. 

Taking advantage of the owner’s helpless state, the suspect grabbed a box containing the gem stock and escaped.

The businessman lodged a complaint with Kandy Police, prompting the Criminal Investigation Division to launch a special probe.

Investigators confirmed that the suspect’s entry and subsequent escape were clearly recorded on the centre’s security cameras. Police are now using the CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the suspect. (Newswire)

CCTV: Theft of gemstones worth around Rs. 6 million from gem merchant in Kandy caught on camera#lka #srilanka #adaderana #news #lanka #srilankanews #gemstones #kandy #CCTVCamera #cctv #rubies #gemstones #robbery #gemtheft #theft #gemstonesjewelry pic.twitter.com/Gg8HavaPel

— Ada Derana (@adaderana) March 13, 2026

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Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena says train operations in Kandy are expected to recommence before the end of this year, as previously announced, dismissing reports that repair work on the Peradeniya ‘Kalu Palama’ (Black Bridge) has stalled.

He said work to stabilise the Peradeniya ‘Kalu Palama’ has already been successfully completed, and that the next stage of the project will begin promptly.

The Deputy Minister expressed these views at a media briefing following the Kandy District Coordinating Committee meeting, which was co‑chaired by Minister K.D. Lal Kantha and Central Province Governor Prof. Sarath Abeykoon, held at the Kandy District Secretariat.

Further commenting, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena said that the tilting of the ‘Kalu Palama’ has been stopped and stabilized. 

“The stone pillar that was tilting has also been corrected according to engineering technology, and now the bridge is stable. On the 21st, there was heavy rainfall. The river level rose and damaged the temporary bridge built at that location. Two excavators were hired for the work here. That need no longer exists. Water pumping machines were also hired, and all of them have been returned. From the outside, it may look like there are fewer machines and no workers, but that is wrong. The next stage is starting. Discussions are being held with the technical committee about the upcoming work. As Minister Bimal Ratnayake said, we plan to bring back train operations to Kandy before the end of this year,” he said. 

Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena also revealed that under Indian loan assistance, construction is planned from Rambukkana to Kadugannawa. 

“The Ministry of Finance is discussing related matters such as interest rates. The Railway Department has already started preliminary work to remove obstacles and restore the track from Rambukkana to Peradeniya. The Railway Department has not been profitable previously. Therefore, the loss of train services affects passengers more than the department itself. Because, to buy a bus season ticket, passengers have to spend more money than for a railway monthly season ticket,” he added. (Newswire)

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Investigations have revealed that two emails threatening a bomb explosion at the Kandy District Secretariat have been sent to its official address, originating from a South Asian country, it was reported. 

According to the state newspaper Dinamina, investigations have also uncovered that similar emails had been sent from the same country in December.

The Criminal Investigation Department has now launched an inquiry into the incident. It is reported that one of the emails was received on December 23, but the District Secretary was informed about it only on the morning of December 26.

Following a complaint made by District Secretary Indika Udawatta to Central Province Deputy Inspector General of Police Sudath Masinghe, the Bomb Disposal Unit, Police K9 Division, and Special Task Force immediately searched the Secretariat premises.

After inspecting all vehicles parked within the premises, the Police announced that the information was false. Later, as routine duties resumed at the Secretariat, another email was sent to the official address, warning of an explosion before 4.00 pm.

Upon informing the Police again, several bomb disposal teams arrived, causing fear among staff. As a result, many employees left on half‑day leave, creating serious difficulties for members of the public who had come for services.

Since December 26 was the only working day for government offices after the Christmas holidays and before the weekend, the public, who had come for services such as renewing driving licenses, said they faced severe inconvenience when services could not be obtained. (Newswire)

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The Kandy Municipal Council has decided to ban pavement trading in the city from January 1.

Mayor Chandrasiri Wijenayake said the decision was taken to protect the beauty of the city and ease congestion for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit Kandy. 

“Although the council passed the relevant resolution about six months ago, we did not implement it immediately, considering the difficulties pavement traders would face. Instead, we gave them until December 31, more than five months, to clear their goods. They requested time until their stock was sold, so we allowed nearly six months. That period ends on December 31. This decision will not be changed for any reason. Years ago, the council provided alternative locations for pavement traders, but they abandoned those places and returned to the pavements, which created this problem. Whether it is the Governor or the President, we will not reverse this decision,” the Mayor said, speaking at a media briefing.

Business owners in the central market said pavement trading in front of the market has caused them serious difficulties, despite paying taxes to the council. They added that although they had informed the council several times, no relief was given.

The council has identified that currently, between 60 and 80 pavement traders operate in Kandy city. (Newswire)

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The Kandy District Secretariat was subjected to an intensive search this morning (26) by several units, including the Bomb Disposal Squad, due to a bomb threat. 

It is reported that this emergency search was carried out following a message sent to the official email address of the District Secretariat, claiming that a bomb fixed to a vehicle would be detonated within the premises. 

The District Secretary informed the police accordingly, after which the search began around 10.00 am today, using police sniffer dogs.

With the arrival of the Bomb Disposal Squad and other search teams, the main entrance of the District Secretariat was closed. 

As a result, the public who had come to obtain services faced severe inconvenience, since they were not allowed either to enter the premises or to leave them.

The Police also instructed officials and staff arriving at the District Secretariat by vehicle to remain near their vehicles. 

Consequently, all vehicle owners had to halt their official duties midway and stay beside their vehicles, following which a search operation was conducted. (Newswire)

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Deputy Minister of Transport, Prasanna Gunasena, has announced that the development work of Louis Peiris Mawatha, stretching from Dharmaraja College in Kandy to the Amipitiya Junction, has commenced.

In a statement, the Deputy Transport Minister said that the project, costing Rs. 636.1 million, is expected to be completed within 455 days (15 months). 

He further said that it involves acquiring land at several points along the existing road to widen it.  

At the endpoint of the road, adjustments have been planned to minimize the number of bends, making vehicle movement more convenient, he added. (Newswire)

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The Nawalpitiya–Kandy main road, which was blocked by a landslide caused by Cyclone Ditwah, was reopened for traffic today (15 Dec) after 18 days.

The soil that fell onto the road due to the landslide has been cleared, and the road has been restored. 

However, reports indicate that there is still a risk of further landslides from the slope above, and until permanent solutions are provided, the road has been made safe only for controlled travel.

The Road Development Authority has requested drivers to operate vehicles cautiously until work at the site is fully completed.

It was also noted that restrictions have been imposed on the movement of heavy vehicles along this road.

The repair work was carried out with the participation of the Road Development Authority, the 6th Engineering Regiment, Nawalpitiya and Athgala Police Stations, and the Pasbage Korale Pradeshiya Sabha. (Newswire)

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