Govt. releases more areas from isolation rules

Pettah, Foreshore and Mattakkuliya are no longer under lockdown, with isolation lifted from the Police Jurisdictions at 5 a.m. today, according to the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO).

According to a statement issued by the Department of Government Information (DGI), the NOCPCO has declared that the above Police Jurisdictions will no longer be isolated, along with the Negombo and Ragama Police Jurisdictions in the Gampaha District.

Regarding the relaxation of lockdown in Pettah, Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana stressed that certain restrictions will continue in the area. As such, commercial activities – like wholesale and vegetable trade – will not be permitted in Manning Market as well as the Fourth Cross Street and the Fifth Cross Street.

“Several persons who work in Manning Market and the Fourth and Fifth Cross Streets reside in areas still under isolation in Colombo North. There is a trend of patients emerging from these areas, and more and more patients are being identified in these areas,” DIG Ajith Rohana said.

He added that it was for this reason that isolation has not been lifted in areas like Mutwal, Grandpass, Kotahena, Keselwatte, and Maradana.

Activities in other parts of Pettah will be permitted, and the Police Spokesperson said the Central Bus Stand and the Private Bus Stand will be allowed to resume operations.

In addition to this, the NOCPCO stated that areas in Mattakkuliya and Wellampitiya were isolated from 5 a.m. today. These include the Randiya Uyana Housing Scheme and the South of Ferguson Road in the Mattakkuliya Police Jurisdiction and the Laksanda Sevana Housing Scheme, Salamul Grama Niladhari Division, and the Wijayapura Grama Niladhari Division in the Wellampitiya Police Jurisdiction.

In addition to this, 10 Police Jurisdictions and two Grama Niladhari Divisions continue to be isolated in the Colombo District. According to the DGI, these areas are the Mutwal, Bloemendal, Kotahena, Grandpass, Wolfendal, Dam Street, Keselwatte, Maligawatte, Dematagoda and Maradana Police Jurisdictions, the Wekanda Grama Niladhari Division in the Slave Island Police Jurisdiction, and the Wanathamulla Grama Niladhari Division of the Borella Police Jurisdiction.

The Wattala, Peliyagoda, and Kelaniya Police Jurisdictions in the Gampaha District will also continue to be under isolation, along with isolated areas in other districts. These include Atalugama East, Epitamulla and Kola Mediriya Grama Niladhari Divisions in the Kalutara District, Bulugahathenna Thelambugahawatta Grama Niladhari Divisions in the Kandy District, Weralabada, Weralabada South, Weralabada North, Egodawatte and Kurusa Paduwa Grama Niladhari Divisions in the Puttalam District, and the Akkareipaththu Police Jurisdiction in the Ampara District.