The government has decided to grant a weekly holiday to public sector employees every Wednesday starting today (18), until further notice, in response to ongoing fuel supply challenges.
Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi said the holiday will also apply to schools, universities and the judicial sector.
The government has further requested that both state-approved schools and private tuition classes suspend activities on Wednesdays.
However, the holiday will not apply to essential services such as healthcare, ports, water supply and electricity, the Commissioner General emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Department of Railways announced that only trains operating on a Saturday schedule will run today due to the special holiday.
Accordingly, 29 train services will operate on the main line, 17 on the upcountry line and 33 on the coastal line. In addition, five services will run on the Kelani Valley line, nine on the Puttalam line and six on the Batticaloa and Trincomalee lines.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) said bus services will continue to operate islandwide as scheduled, noting that some timetables have been adjusted where necessary.
A spokesperson added that instructions have been issued to deploy buses based on passenger demand to ensure continuity of public transport services.
