A vast majority of the public offices, all schools, universities and courts will remain closed today (18).

The government decided to grant a weekly holiday to public sector employees every Wednesday starting today, until further notice, in response to ongoing fuel supply challenges.

The Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi stated that the holiday will also apply to schools, universities, and the judicial sector.

Additionally, the government has requested that both state-approved schools and private tuition classes suspend activities for the day.

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.

Additional services include five on the Kelani Valley line, nine on the Puttalam line and six on the Batticaloa and Trincomalee lines.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) stated that bus services will continue to operate island-wide as scheduled. A spokesperson noted that some timetables have been adjusted where necessary, and instructions have been issued to deploy buses as needed based on passenger demand.