Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake has suspended all parking meter ticket fines imposed on the general public of Sri Lanka due to the exorbitant compound charges levied against those that did not pay for parking their vehicles in the Colombo city areas.
Rosy
Posting a tweet yesterday she said “with regard to the recent complaints on parking meter fines. Pending council approval I have given instructions to the commissioner to suspend all fines charged relating to parking meters.”
Tenaga Car Parks Pvt Limited and the Colombo Municipal Council came in for huge flak when the outraged public of Sri Lanka went berserk on social media complaining about unbelievable hefty fines that were levied as late payment charges for unpaid parking ticket fines.
Probably in a global first, the public were charged a whopping compounded interest charge of Rs 1080 per day, for a mere Rs 30 unpaid ticket fine.
In a global comparison, the public in the United Kingdom is accorded a discount of 50% on their unpaid fines if paid within 14 days.
However here in Sri Lanka it is the exact opposite.
For instance the compounded charges snowball resulting in a charge of Rs 1080 by the day.
Tenaga Car Parks PVT Ltd the partner of Colombo Municipal Council who drives this project pockets 60% of the fines for the services they provide.
Managing Director Duminda Jayatillake of Tenaga Car Parks Pvt Limited speaking to Colombo Telegraph said “This is a temporary measure taken by the Mayoress Rosy Senanayake and the Colombo Municipal Council to review the parking charges and fine structure. Tenaga Car Parks Pvt Limited was not involved in creating either charges or fine structure. We merely implemented what had been proposed by the Colombo Municipal Council. All we did was invest over Rs 250 million and put up 100 solar powered parking meters from Galadari round about to Dehiwela bridge, Liberty junction to Dharmarama Road in Bambalapitiya and along all intercepting lanes owned by the CMC. We also pay for all the back end work too”.
Duminda Jayatillake
“We have carried out numerous programmes to educate the general public. Distribution of leaflets in Colombo City, Newspaper advertisements, Facebook posts and also on television” Jayatillake said.
Tenaga Car Parks, a global brand with offices running in India and Malaysia besides Sri Lanka was formed in 2005. It claims to service a total of 20,000 parking bays globally.
Their website states “Parking is a Service, and our objective is to provide Customer Satisfaction by providing an efficient traffic management service in a professional and orderly manner to ensure a safe, secure and friendly environment.”
Meanwhile a person named Echo Asma who had to pay a fine of Rs 6960 several days later had filmed his experience at the Tenaga Car Park Pvt Ltd Office and posted it on Facebook.
Narrating his experience Echo Asma posted “The So called “PARKING VIOLATION FEE” is as BOGUS As it Gets! Yet Many Innocent people accept it and end up paying thumping amounts to this Private Money Making Firm.
This So called Parking Company pinned this to my Windshield last week, Upon inquiring a week after they ask me to pay a Fine of 6960/= as late Payment Fees Which is More than double the Maximum Fine for any Traffic Violations in this Country.
Check the Video on How the Staff Behave when inquiring about the Legitimacy of this Fee and Company.
A Small complain and Protest on this at the Muncipal Council Traffic Divison and they immediately reduce my Violation fee to just RS 50/= (Actual Parking Fee for an Hour) Who Does that? How Legit is this Company? How many Innocent people are being openly Robbed Everyday? This Has to STOP!
Note : Having inquired with both the C.M.C and The Parking Company. The C.M.C Assure me to take Action against the irresponsible behaviour in the video of the staff of the Company where as the Parking Firm state that They are doing only that of What is Authorized and instructed by the C.M.C.
It’s a no brainier that these two institutions are linked and just ripping people apart. I spent half a day at the Muncipal Council and met so many others with the same complaint. People are just paying heavy fines for late payments. It’s Bogus. Who charges 1000 RS for a Day of late payment? Even the Law gives us 14 days before any action could be taken.
You don’t just keep doubling the amount everyday for not paying a fee of 50/=
Majority were also complaining regarding the pay machines not working! It’s ridiculous to expect people to travel to their office and keep paying Everytime they get a ticket.
I Request you to SPREAD THE WORD! PLEASE help and SHARE THIS as much as possible & HELP innocent Citizens from being very very unfairly Fined!
Since Mayor Rosy has now identified that the public has been unjustly robbed, it would be interesting to note if those that were made to pay these hefty unjust fines will be duly refunded. (MDF)
Steve / May 19, 2018
“Tenaga Car Parks Pvt Limited was not involved in creating either charges or fine structure. We merely implemented what had been proposed by the Colombo Municipal Council.”. Passing the buck ? Another stinker like everything else day by day.
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Estate Labourer / May 19, 2018
“All we did was invest over Rs 250 million and put up 100 solar powered parking meters…….”
So, each solar powered parking meter cost Rs.2.5 million?
Even an ATM won’t cost so much!
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shankar / May 19, 2018
tenaga has to refund all the fines paid or quit sri lanka.
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nalmen / May 19, 2018
the meter is only in english
what about those who speak sinhala only
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Steve / May 19, 2018
Nalmen
We are in year 2018; not 1956.
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shankar / May 20, 2018
nalmen
SWRD and his descendents will pay the fine.
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Percy / May 24, 2018
English is not the language of the country or its people.
This is more Yahapalana anti Sinhalese stupidity. Typical work of Ranil/Rosy et al.
Yes S.W.R.D. and his descendants will delivera stunning blow to Yahapalana. So Shankar, wait for it then raise your verti and bugger off to the North !
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Steve / May 21, 2018
Even three wheeler receipts are in English. So what is the big deal ?
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Uncommon man / May 19, 2018
This is another racket to rip off money from citizens. The snowballing effect of the fines exceeds even the weekly lotteries run by the Lotteries Board. When the innocent victims go to the Tenaga company office,they are treated with contempt. As we enter, we have to approach the cashier counter as if the only permitted activity is to pay up the fines. After pleading and pestering we are allowed the luxury of entering the inner sanctum where self opinionated executives speak to us in a condescending manner and clearly state that there is no option other than to pay up. They put all the blame on CMC although the company pockets bulk of the loot. Employees are paid a staggering amount as salaries starting from 120,000/= per month reflecting the thumping profits the company is earning. The new Mayor should scrutinize the contract by which the company has worked off this one sided advantage to itself.
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Jim softy / May 19, 2018
Rosie Since the day she came she is talking about money mullions and billions. In this case, She has waived Rs 30 fine for car park meter beczuse some stupid fellow had doubled the fine for RS 10, 300 something for two weeks dealy. I heard one reason for that was both ROSIE’s husband’s and son’s cars were there. She has similar record as federal govt minister, provincil gov tminister and now as the MAYORESS. Ranil Wickramsinghe thinks that Rosie is his love, on the other hand Rosies do not come close to me and take her husband every where she goes. both the Husband and the son were running a Entertainment company which she wil subsidize by providing cheaper entertainment. On ther othad, they need free parking, I heard.
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Lanka Nitizen / May 19, 2018
Could Rosy Senayake ,be the leader people had waited for ? With her popularity with all communities ,will she be the new CBK of the future ? Will she steadily rise from mayor ,to PM ? Surpassing CM … ?
Or even be the next Presidential Candidate ?
You never know Sri lankans in certain decisions are more matured in thinking ,not even USA still with a large number of illiterates can match even an inch ,they preferred a man as long as he is a man to replace Hillary not caring his credentials, we ,are a nation that dared to vote the First Women PM and The first women President in the world ,while USA prefers Donald duck.and super goofy cartoon characters .
If only the people unite ,what resources this nation has , If Donald duck can swim in any dirty water with no statesmanship or knowledge or political clout, then why not we give Rosy a break ! ?
Rosy As President and Ranil PM, is yet the only capable man who is a veteran Parliamentarian.
Like it or not he is our last on the list use him while he is still around ,give him another five years and you will reap the fruits .
But executive presidency must go and sadly the SLFP is kaputh thanks to ,Ex,President, His excellency played into the dead rope of Slender loin again ,very disappointing to watch a man with so much experience be taken for a ride by the same bunch over and over again , why can’t he see it through ? Why can’t his Son see it.!?
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Nosey Parker / May 20, 2018
Lanka Nitizen
Some very clever foot work by the Mayoress also known as damage control.
She has been under serious pressure recently with toilet renovations and “dog destructors” .
Our citizens are very gullible.
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Steve / May 20, 2018
Lanka Nitizen
Sri Lanka did not Vote the First Woman PM, she took the role on the death of her husband. Rosie is not a Buddhist (unless she changes her religion which is quite possible) so for the moment forget her as the President or Prime Minister. She has more important things to do such as getting her toilets repaired at a cost of millions of tax payers money.
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Jim softy / May 20, 2018
The best choice. Rosie as PResident.Ranil as PM. I heard Rosie has told mulsims that she would give permissionm to build mosques where ever they want but for a price. So, the muslims are happy.
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Spot on / May 19, 2018
Jim softy ,Donal duck has a vacancy his new escort services of 13+ for a fulltime soliciting manager why don’t you give it a shot ?
At-least you will get paid well ,better than being the rotten egg here
-:)
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K.Pillai / May 19, 2018
These are early signs of “New-Terrorism” – a realm in which corruption/nepotism/impunity are the norm.
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You are goofed / May 20, 2018
Why not get Professor calculus of the bunch to run for president.
Only two problems ,.1) by the time he Minch and gulp to complete a sentence ,we would be done .
2) need to investigate some people who went with him in foreign trip who never returned according some embassies.
He is not saint I tell you…
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Sumith Bihan Jayawardana / May 20, 2018
I ended up paying more than 7000 for a delay in paying the fine by 1 week.. I travel to Bambalapitiya once a week…
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Ariyasinghe / May 20, 2018
CMC Officials were looked after very well by the Tenaga, and got this contract with their conditions approved, we the poor citizens were suffering due to this contracts. We praise our Mayor taking this action, and protecting the citizens of Colombo.
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Jim softy / May 20, 2018
I heard Friends of Rosi’s are connected to this PArking fine scam.Some of them have written evenin this blog. rosie says, certain my husband and son are affected because of these parking fines and that is why cutdown the payment. RS 30 is just two cents where I am livign right now a Parking fine is as follows. – if your parking ticket was $70 and you paid it within 14 days, you could’ve saved 50 per cent, which amounts to $35. But starting Jan. 1, 2018 that discount has been reduced to 40 per cent
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Jim softy / May 20, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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WELKUM / May 20, 2018
Dear Rosy -All byroads indicate even and odd days parking, but vehicles are parked on either side and charged by the blue uniform boys instead of reprimanding those parked on the wrong side of the day. They want the money for the system. What cannot be understood is that if there is a funeral in your street, the sympathisers will have to pay parking fee to pay their respect, if you have a social function at your home, visitors have to pay parking fee to attend. This is absolutely madness. Even in the evening the hawks are around to charge on byroads.
Charge restaurants a block fee monthly – this is fair. Commercial high rise building are approved with allocated car parks, but most of the car parks are part of office space – Charge them a monthly block rate for limited number of vehicles for street parking. In both cases allocate permits.
Residents of the street must be allocated a single parking slot irrespective of house or apartment monthly free with some sort of card to indicate free parking. On Saturday after 3pm and Sunday it should be made free full day. Lankan’s visit parents, relatives irrespective of the time of day. Many private function are done at homes or the funerals kept and taken from homes. This was and will be the way in this country. Tenaga loss is no concern of the residents of the city, they should have planned it to suit our cultural way of living, not based on other country values.This is another Sleazy way to harass and make money from the residents living in the city. Incidentally why no parking meters are found in Maradana, Slave Island, Borella, Wanatamulla …… byroads and small streets where 3W are parked in the night…….. wonder why?
Take UK and Australia – Private vehicles can be parked on the street you live in without charges. Check this out……
At least now Mayoress with your CMC do the correct thing, not following the past few Mayors who did nothing, but correct this madness for those who did not vote for you and for those who voted for you….
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Uthungan / May 21, 2018
In the UK resident’s who park on the same street where they live are entitled to do so during the day time from 8:00am-6:00pm and the fees are included in the amount of the tax levied on their property they live in just as for the empting of rubbish bins, drainage and lighting etc.
But all others like visitors and outsiders using the same road,street or lane can pay by coin, debit or credit card by using the meter for shopping or visiting located at intervals down the street or lane to buy parking time.
After 6:00pm parking is free. Parking system would vary according to the policy regulations implemented by each of the different borough or city councils. But parking in Central London is a different story altogether.
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Ad / May 20, 2018
It is the people who own this country. Where else can they park their vehicle? Citizens all pay their taxes to maintain the CMC, so CMC must take the position of allowing free parking without inventing a fee levying system. IF CMC cannot offer such services, this duty should be given to some organization who could do so.
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Echoasma / May 20, 2018
Correction: This is to correct a misunderstanding. I am not the author of the writeup nor the owner of the video. This was received by me as well as several others and has been forwarded by many. Since this has been continuing for sometime and being ignored by the authorities I took the opportunity of posting in the “VOC – Voice of Change” page in the Facebook. I am very happy to say that it had been brought to the notice of Her Worship the Mayor and she had initiated immedited action. I however do not hold myself responsible for the writeup or the video. – Echoasma
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Chithra Veerabahu / May 20, 2018
Added to that the machine deos not accept coins, so you are compelled to pay RS. 40 instead of RS. 30, which is the actual amount. The balance RS. 10 is never tendered.
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raza / May 24, 2018
Great Cheating, Tenaga could be criminally charged for. Next time It happens I will lodge a complaint with the police irrespective of the small amount.. Central Bank is withdrawing Rs.10 notes and introducing Coins.
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Mohamed / May 20, 2018
Tenaga is a Indian Company that is involved on the parking meters of Colombo. Is this the way the ETCA will rip Sri Lankans
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Jim softy / May 20, 2018
Check and see, it is ROSEI who indirectly owns the company. They have bought defective parking meters on purpsoe paying high prices. Ranil is silent.
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Cujo / May 20, 2018
Once someone hires a mafia hitman to kill these directors, company and country will start to take notice.
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Jayantha de Alwis / May 24, 2018
This is a another UNP racket. People should not pay any money to UNP/Tenaga parking racketeers.
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raza / May 24, 2018
I am a new user of Car in Colombo. I just came to know only now about the System . I have seen some gadgets fixed in the Pavements and wondering what it was. CMC Has failed to Educate the Car owners. Tenaga should be asked to withdraw immediately. I know numerous members of poor families benefitted earlier by direct employment from CMC. President Premadasa is haied for introducing the traffic Warden System. Is this the way CMC is contributing to creating employment. Foreign Exchange is going to outflow soon, since most of this machines are imported and will last maximum three years. Already the machines would have been over invoiced. Who cares.
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