Public sector, schools and courts closed today, limited bus and train services

The government of Sri Lanka has announced that public sector workers will have a weekly holiday every Wednesday starting today, October 18, due to ongoing issues with fuel supply. Prabath Chandrakeerthi, the Commissioner General of Essential Services, mentioned that this holiday will also affect schools, universities, and the court system. The government has asked both state-approved schools and private tuition classes to stop activities for the day. However, essential services like healthcare, ports, water supply, and electricity will continue to operate as usual, as highlighted by the Commissioner General. In addition, the Department of Railways has reported that only trains following a Saturday schedule will be in service today because of the special holiday. This means that 29 train services will run on the main line, 17 on the upcountry line, and 33 on the coastal line. There will also be five services on the Kelani Valley line, nine on the Puttalam line, and six on the Batticaloa and Trincomalee lines. The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) confirmed that bus services across the country will continue as planned. A spokesperson shared that some bus schedules have been changed as needed, and arrangements have been made to provide additional buses based on passenger demand.