February 02, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Police have unveiled a wide-ranging security and traffic operation ahead of a major religious event at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, where Sacred Relics brought from India will be displayed to the public from early February.
The Relics are expected to arrive in the country on February 04, 2026, with the public exposition beginning at 6.00 a.m. the following day. The display will remain open continuously, day and night, until 7.00 a.m. on February 11, drawing large crowds of local and overseas devotees to central Colombo.
Police say comprehensive measures are being put in place to ensure the safety of worshippers and to manage congestion in the surrounding areas. Members of the public attending the exposition are requested to cooperate fully with security checks and crowd control arrangements throughout the seven-day event.
With significant numbers anticipated, devotees have been advised to remain alert and take personal responsibility for safeguarding valuables such as cash, jewellery and travel documents. The use of mobile phones inside the Sacred Chamber will not be permitted, and visitors are strongly discouraged from bringing helmets, bulky bags, jackets or other unnecessary items into the temple grounds.
Motorists travelling through the area have been reminded to observe traffic instructions and to park only in approved locations. Police officers will be deployed at key points to assist the public and to regulate traffic flow. Visitors are also urged to dress and conduct themselves in keeping with Buddhist customs when entering the temple premises.
To ease congestion, several roads around Gangaramaya will be closed temporarily to vehicular traffic during the exposition period. In addition, a dedicated shuttle bus service will operate from selected parking locations to transport devotees to and from the temple.
Police have stressed that public cooperation will be essential to maintaining a calm and orderly environment, noting that both free and paid parking facilities have been arranged to accommodate the influx of vehicles.
The following arrangements will be in effect during the exposition:
Road Closures
* Jinarathana Mawatha from the James Peiris Mawatha junction towards the temple
* Jinarathana Mawatha from the Hunupitiya Wewa Road junction towards the temple
* Jinarathana Mawatha from the Lake Crescent (Hunupitiya Road) junction towards the temple
* Park Street from the Jinarathana Mawatha junction towards the temple
* Staple Street from the Muttiah Road junction
* James Peiris Mawatha from the Muttiah Road junction
Special Shuttle Service Locations
* Old MOD Grounds parking area
* Port City parking area
* Parking area near the Shangri-La Hotel
Restricted Parking Areas
* Navam Mawatha
* Perahera Mawatha
* Ramanayake Mawatha
* James Peiris Mawatha
* Jinarathana Mawatha
* Muttiah Road
* Altair Avenue
* Staple Street
* Dawson Street
* Union Place
* Hyde Park Corner
* Baybrook Place
* Park Street
* Lake Crescent
* Hunupitiya Wewa Road
* Dharmapala Mawatha
Free Parking Areas
* Port City parking area
* Parking area near the Shangri-La Hotel
* Old MOD Grounds
* F. R. Senanayake Mawatha parking area
* Dhanapala Mawatha, Viharamahadevi Park vicinity
* Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha (Green Path) parking area
* School Road parking
* Vauxhall Street parking
* Vacant land at the former Sathosa premises near Colombo City Centre
Paid Parking Facilities
* Private parking near Gamini Roundabout
* Parking area opposite Lake House
* Access Tower building parking
* Old Manning Market grounds
* Chamas Parking
Police have appealed to the public to plan their journeys in advance and to follow instructions issued by officers on duty, emphasising that these measures are intended to ensure a secure, dignified and spiritually enriching experience for all who attend.
