The seventh day of Siri Dalada Vandanawa continues to draw overwhelming crowds to Kandy, with an estimated 400,000 devotees queuing across the city to witness the sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.In response to the massive influx, Sri Lanka Police have introduced a special identification badge system to help manage and recognize devotees participating in the religious observance.
The initiative came into effect last night (April 23) in an effort to maintain order and ensure safety amid the surging numbers.Due to the sheer volume of devotees arriving in Kandy, police have requested the public to refrain from visiting the city for Siri Dalada Vandanawa today (April 24) and tomorrow (April 25), citing concerns over crowd control and public safety.Meanwhile, the Department of Railways has temporarily suspended the special train services between Colombo Fort and Kandy, which had been operating specifically to accommodate devotees of Siri Dalada Vandanawa.According to Railway General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara, the suspension was implemented at the request of the police in light of the escalating crowd situation.