Special traffic plan for cremation ceremony of Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusala Dhamma Thero

The final rites for Aggamahapandit Dr. Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thero will be held today (31) under full state patronage at Independence Square in Colombo.

The cremation ceremony is set to take place at 1.30 p.m. while the vehicle procession carrying the remains of the Most Venerable Thero is scheduled to depart the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Peliyagoda at around 12.30 p.m.

The vehicle processions will travel along Kandy Road, Kelani Bridge, Baseline Road, Bandaranaike Junction, Orugodawatte Junction, Ingram Junction, Dematagoda Junction, Prisons Junction, Borella Junction, D.S. Senanayake Junction, Horton Wijerama Junction, Horton Roundabour, Nanda Motors Junction, Independence Roundabout and Independence Square through Nidahas Mawatha.

Police request motorists to use alternate routes during the aforementioned time period as there could be traffic congestion during the vehicle procession.

The government has declared today (October 31) a day of mourning in view of the final rites of late Aggamahapandit Dr. Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Kusaladamma Thero, who passed away on October 27 at the age of 85.

In addition, all liquor outlets in the Colombo and Gampaha districts were also ordered to remain closed on Sunday.

The Thero had served as the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, Chief Judicial Prelate for the two Regions of Colombo and Chilaw and as the Chief Incumbent of the Peliyagoda Vidyalankara Pirivena.