Rehearsals for the 76th Independence Day ceremony, scheduled to commence on Monday (Jan.29), have been pushed back by a day.

In a media release, the Police Media Division said the rehearsals would thus begin on Tuesday (Jan.30) and continue until February 03 at the Galle Face Green.

Meanwhile, a special traffic plan is planned to be put in place on a stretch of the Galle Road in view of the upcoming event. As such, the Galle Road will temporarily remain closed from Kollupitiya Junction – Galle Face and from Ceramic Junction – Galle Face.

Police Media Division earlier said the traffic plan comes into effect on January 29, however, as the start date for the rehearsals was deferred, the road closure is now expected to be effective from 6 a.m. – 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. from January 30 to February 02.

The aforementioned section of Galle Road will once again be off limits for traffic starting at 2 p.m. on 03 February until the conclusion of the Independence Day ceremony on 04 February.