SINGAPORE - The Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium will be closed on Sunday afternoon for the cremation service of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

The crematorium will shut its doors to the public from 1pm while the columbarium will be closed from 3pm, according to a statement by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday.

It noted that the annual Qing Ming Festival, where Chinese families pay respects to their departed loved ones, will start this weekend.

To minimise congestion during the festival, the agency advised the public to avoid visiting the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery and the government columbariums at Mandai, Yishun, Mount Vernon and Choa Chu Kang during the expected peak periods.

These are the Good Friday holiday on April 3, the Qing Ming festival date on April 5, and the other Sundays during the festival period that lasts from tomorrow to April 19.