Sydney's Martin Place is expected to reopen soon, after the deadly Lindt cafe siege brought the usually bustling area to a standstill.
A large chunk of the CBD has been closed off by police since Man Haron Monis took 17 people hostage on Monday morning in a siege that ended 16 hours later with the death of two captives and Monis.
The exclusion zone, which has been in force around Martin Place, bordered by Elizabeth St, St James Road, Macquarie St and Hunter St, is expected to be lifted on Wednesday.
A crime scene perimeter will still be in force around the cafe at the corner of Martin Place and Philip St, but police expect this to cause minimal disruptions to surrounding businesses.
Martin Place train station is also set to reopen at 10am.
Thousands of Sydneysiders and tourists have been making their way nearby to a makeshift shrine to honour those who lost their lives in the siege.
For much of Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday, Martin Place was eerily calm.
People who work in this zone had been asked to work from home but now authorities are urging them to resume their normal day-to-day routines.
The cafe hostage drama came to a bloody end in the early hours of Tuesday when police stormed the Lindt Chocolat Cafe.
Two hostages and the gunman were killed, while six people, including a police officer, were injured.
Meanwhile, NSW police will provide an update on Wednesday morning about Operation Hammerhead - a Sydney-wide, high-visibility operation focusing on an increased police presence in public places and transport hubs.
The operation was re-activated on Tuesday night.
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