Technical glitches to be cleared by tomorrow, public assured of smooth fuel access

Colombo, March 16 (Daily Mirror) - Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne has assured the public that all technical obstacles in the newly upgraded QR fuel system will be resolved by tomorrow morning, allowing citizens to obtain fuel without difficulty.

Addressing the media he said the government has introduced the QR code-based fuel distribution system to protect the country’s fuel reserves and ensure uninterrupted supply amid ongoing global political uncertainties.

He highlighted that managing fuel consumption has become crucial due to volatile world markets and noted that the system was reintroduced as a precautionary measure to avoid unnecessary shortages.

Highlighting international trends, Weeraratne said the war in the Middle East has forced several countries to limit fuel usage, with nations such as Pakistan already restricting public services to a few days per week.

Explainer: Sri Lanka Fuel QR Code System - Complete Guide to Register, Download, and Fuel Quotas (Click here to read)

Although the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has sufficient fuel stocks for the next few months, he pointed out that a systematic distribution method is needed to maintain reserves over a longer period.

The Deputy Minister said the QR code fuel programme will be rolled out this weekend to avoid congestion at fuel stations during weekdays, minimizing inconvenience to the public.

He added that previous system issues, including vehicle ownership changes and mobile number updates, have been resolved. Vehicle owners who have sold their vehicles are urged to remove them from the system so new owners can register without delays.

Training for fuel station employees and owners is scheduled to be completed today, with technical teams from both public and private sectors working around the clock to ensure a smooth launch.

Weeraratne urged the public not to form queues due to fear of fuel shortages and called for maximum support of the formal fuel management process introduced by the government.

He expressed confidence that once minor technical issues are cleared tomorrow, the public will have easy and reliable access to fuel under the new QR system.