Sri Lanka, April 11 -- With just two days remaining for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, large crowds have gathered at the Pettah-Bastian Mawatha private bus stand and the central bus stand in Colombo, eager to return to their hometowns.

Hiru regional correspondents reported similar scenes in cities such as Galle, Matara, and Kandy, where many people are waiting to travel long distances. Due to the surge in movement, heavy traffic congestion was reported in several major cities this afternoon.

In response to the growing demand, the Railway Department has launched special train services, deploying 10 additional trains to accommodate the festive rush.

The National Transport Commission confirmed that sufficient bus services were operating ...