Kandy town Traffic plan, night bazaar to be cancelled

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

Steps will be taken to cancel the recently implemented one-way traffic plan in Kandy town and to stop the night bazaar along the Dalada Veediya, House Leader and Minister, Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday.  

He told parliament that he had instructed Kandy Mayor Kesara Senanayake to take steps to cancel the one-way traffic plan which had proved impractical.  

The minister said this in response to a question asked by UNP MP Velu Kumar, who said Kandy town was turned upside because of the traffic plan arbitrarily introduced by the Central Province Governor.  

He said traffic regulations were vested with the Municipal Council and not on the central government or the provincial council and pointed out that the one-way traffic plan was a three-day experiment carried out by the MC and the PC but it appeared unworkable.  

The minister said the Kandy night bazaar was launched without informing the government or the MC.  

“Those who have come to Kandy recently are launching these projects without understating the historic and cultural values of the area. I instructed Kandy mayor to stop it immediately. Mahanayake Theras had also expressed their displeasure over this move,” he said.  Buddhist Affairs Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said the night bazaar was a disgrace to the Sacred City of Kandy and should be banned.  

“Some people organised night races near the Dalada Maligawa some years ago. I have received so many complaints against this bazaar. We cannot allow this to happen,” he said.