Information has been provided on how traffic will be affected in Colombo today (28) and Friday (31) due to a vehicle procession.

The Police Media Division announces that severe traffic congestion may occur on several main roads in Colombo city due to the silver chariot procession, which will parade the streets coinciding with the 152nd annual Vel Festival, centered around the Kathiresan Kovils in Pettah and Bambalapitiya. As this procession will be held on July 28th and 31st, the police kindly request drivers and the general public to avoid using the affected roads during this period and to use alternative routes whenever possible.

The first leg of this silver chariot procession is scheduled to commence around 7:30 AM on July 28th from the Kathiresan Kovil located on Sea Street, Pettah, and will parade through various roads, reaching the New Kathiresan Kovil in Bambalapitiya by approximately 8:30 PM. The procession route will start from Sea Street and proceed via Gasworks Street Roundabout, Main Street, Khan Clock Tower Roundabout, Y.M.B.A. Junction, Leyden Bastian Road, York Street, Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha, Janadhipathi Mawatha, N.S.A. Roundabout, Galle Centre Road, Galle Face Roundabout, and Galle Road, passing through Kollupitiya Junction to Bambalapitiya. According to the schedule, the procession will travel along Sea Street and Kayman's Gate to Main Street until approximately 10:30 AM, and then along Main Street and Leyden Bastian Road until 11:30 AM. Subsequently, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, the chariot procession will arrive at Galle Face Green via Janadhipathi Mawatha. From 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, it is planned to pass by the Indian High Commission, the Department of Tourism, and Araliya Gaha Mandiraya (President's House). Afterwards, around 5:00 PM, the procession will enter Galle Road, passing through Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya, reaching the Kathiresan Kovil by 7:00 PM and its final destination, the New Kathiresan Kovil in Bambalapitiya, by approximately 8:30 PM.

As the next stage of the festival, the procession will recommence on July 31st from the New Kathiresan Kovil in Bambalapitiya and proceed towards the Kathiresan Kovil located on Sea Street, Pettah. This procession, starting around 8:00 AM on that day, will parade through the main roads of Colombo until 12:30 AM (midnight). It is planned to depart from the Bambalapitiya Kovil, travel along Galle Road to Galle Face Green, and then proceed via Galle Face Central Road, Chatham Street, York Street, Leyden Bastian Road, Main Street, Sea Street, Kathiresan Street, Cross Street, Andiwala Street, and Kayman's Gate, finally reaching the New Kathiresan Kovil in Pettah.