Security blanket for New Year

Security has been beefed up in the city with additional measures in place for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year because of fresh concerns over possible terror attacks during the festive season, police said.
An additional 1000 police officers have been deployed in the city of Colombo and its suburbs, Police Spokesman DIG N. K. Illangakoon said.Military Spokesman Briga-dier Udaya Nanayakkara said there have been no specific intelligence warnings of terror attacks during the New Year season.
“But, there is always a risk that the terrorists can strike whenever possible,” he said. “Additional troops have been deployed and there are rese-rvists to be called in any eventuality.”
He also said a public awareness campaign was in place to inform public of security arr-angements.
Meanwhile, special transport arrangements have been org-anized for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival.“Some 600 additional buses are in service,” said a spok-esman for the Sri Lanka Tran-sport Board.
“It will be in effect from April 8 to April 21, 2008. Special buses will be plying to and from cities such as Kandy, Badulla, Anuradhapura, Galle and Matara.” Meanwhile, Nalaka Bandara of Railways Authority said some 45 trains were being used for transportation of passengers in addition to the routine fleet.