July 16, Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka has taken tough security measures to thwart any terrorist attacks in the capital Colombo during the forthcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

As a part of these measures all train services to the capital will be halted and the central Fort Railway Station will be closed during the period of July 30 – August 3. The services will be allowed up to Bambalapitiya station from the South and all other trains will only be allowed up to Maradana station.

Meanwhile the government has declared August 1 - 3 as public holidays and closed 50 public schools within the capital.

Establishing four new high security zones, the Police have declared the roads from the Ceramic roundabout and Kollupitiya up to Old Parliament Road, Sri Lanka Ports Authority area, Police Headquarters area, Janadhipathi Mawatha, Galle Face and the area around the Slave Island railway station covering Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence as High Security Zones.

Vehicles entering these areas will be searched thoroughly from July 25th to July 29th while from 30th July to 4th August the vehicles entering these areas are required to obtain a special vehicle pass from the Fort or Kollupitiya Police Stations, the government said.

Meanwhile India is planning to dispatch three warships, including two frontline guided-missile destroyers, to Sri Lankan waters as security cover for the Indian Prime Minister and his delegation during his visit to Colombo for the SAARC summit, Indian media reports said.