News
QR Code persists amidst glitches and hitches
View(s):By Tharushi Weerasinghe
Sri Lanka’s reintroduction of the QR Code-based fuel purchase system had a rocky start earlier this week, as motorists and vehicle owners reported system glitches that prevented them from signing in.
Over the past week in Sri Lanka, the government progressively tightened fuel rationing measures and brought back the 2022 rationing system in response to global disruptions in fuel imports stemming from the situation in West Asia, following a surge in local panic buying.
Back to the QR code system. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Authorities also set weekly limits on fuel purchases for different vehicle categories, which immediately led to long queues and panic buying. The following day (16), the government shifted focus to reducing demand by announcing a four-day workweek, declaring Wednesdays public holidays, and encouraging remote work to reduce commuting and fuel consumption. By 17 March, attention turned to securing supply, with the cabinet approving emergency fuel purchases and prioritising distribution for essential sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and public transport. But as the situation intensified and fuel queues, which sometimes turned violent, persisted, the government implemented another control measure: an odd–even license plate system that limited refuelling to designated days, alongside reductions in public transport services.
Those who had recently changed their vehicle or updated their contact details encountered significant difficulties when trying to register with the system. Many users reported repeated errors, such as receiving a message indicating that registration had failed due to inconsistencies between the vehicle number, chassis number, or vehicle type, even when all details were entered exactly as shown on official documents. This left users frustrated, with some questioning whether others were facing similar issues and seeking possible workarounds. Some users also noted that the system did not work for new ID numbers.
The initial onboarding process also placed heavy strain on the platform, causing server congestion and temporary crashes of the website, which is now maintained by the Ministry of Digital Economy. In response, an override feature was introduced to address these challenges. This allows users to re-enter their vehicle number and chassis number correctly, cancel any existing registration linked to a different phone number, and complete a new registration using updated contact details.
However, the Sunday Times found that many sheds were dispensing fuel without scanning the QR code, relying on personal connections and small bribes from customers. Some claimed that sheds were ignoring the rationing because the system did not recognise them. “My QR had not worked till Sunday, and by Tuesday I needed to pump petrol to get to work and pick up my kids – so I managed to get some from a shed nearby which was not checking the QR at all,” said a teacher who taught in a school in Pelawatte. Another retired doctor from Kegalle claimed that a close relative who owns a shed had allowed him to refuel two of his vehicles to full late at night, when the shed was closed for the day.
The Sunday Times reached out to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman, Janaka Rajkaruna, to question how the CPC was monitoring fuel stocks to avoid corruption by shed owners, but did not receive a response.
To address the login chaos, authorities rolled out fixes on multiple fronts. The CPC acknowledged errors in approximately 600,000 faulty QR codes and opened a dedicated WhatsApp number — 076 000 1919 — for complaints, requiring users to submit their vehicle number, NIC, revenue licence, and registration certificate. Nine provincial WhatsApp support lines were also announced. A more targeted fix followed for the second-hand vehicle problem: a new recovery method was introduced, allowing owners to retrieve previously registered QR codes when the original phone number is no longer accessible, by verifying ownership through the vehicle and chassis number. This also allowed users to cancel an old registration and re-register under a new mobile number. Authorities warned, however, that misusing the system to override another person’s registration is a punishable offence.
On March 19, the CPC extended a one-day concession allowing all affected motorists to fuel up regardless of their odd-even plate status, a reprieve before the hard enforcement deadline kicked in. Fuel station operators were formally instructed not to dispense fuel without a valid QR code under any circumstances, with the Fuel Station Owners’ Association advising anyone still facing issues to call the 1919 hotline and resolve them before arriving at the pump. CPC Managing Director Mayura Netthikumara declared all technical issues fully resolved. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, meanwhile, reassured the public that the measures are temporary, stating that controls would be relaxed quickly if planned fuel supplies arrive on schedule.
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