Used-car buyers blocked from National Fuel Pass

Colombo, March 18 (Daily Mirror) -  The reintroduced National Fuel Pass QR code system has triggered fresh controversy, with many vehicle owners claiming they are unable to obtain their weekly fuel quota because the system still shows their vehicles as registered under previous owners.

A large number of complaints have been reported from motorists who purchased second-hand vehicles but cannot create new QR codes, as the online portal indicates that the vehicle has already been registered to another user. As a result, they are unable to access the fuel allocation required for their daily travel and work.

Affected vehicle owners said the problem mainly impacts those who bought used vehicles, while only brand-new vehicle owners appear to be registering without difficulty. Many claimed they are being asked to verify details linked to the previous owner, which has become impossible in several cases.

“We bought these vehicles years ago. Now the system asks for confirmation from the previous owner, but we don’t even have their contact numbers anymore,” one frustrated motorist said.

Several people said that vehicles which changed hands multiple times are the most difficult to register, as the original mobile numbers linked to earlier registrations are no longer in use. When attempting to register, users receive a message stating that the vehicle has already been registered, leaving them unable to proceed further.

Due to this issue, some vehicle owners say they cannot obtain their allocated weekly fuel quota, making it difficult to travel to work, transport goods or carry out daily responsibilities.

The situation has caused long queues and heated arguments at fuel stations, with some motorists blaming the system for unfairly blocking genuine users. Others warned that the problem could affect thousands of people if not resolved quickly.

Attempts to contact officials attached to the Digital Technology authorities and the relevant Ministry have also drawn criticism. Several affected motorists claimed that phone calls often go unanswered, while messages sent to officials receive automatic replies stating, “Sorry, I can’t talk right now.”

The lack of clear facilities on the National Fuel Pass platform on how to change ownership details in the QR system has added to public frustration, with many calling for an urgent solution.

The Government recently reintroduced the QR-based fuel distribution system to manage limited fuel supplies amid global energy uncertainty, but the latest technical issues have raised concerns about whether the system is ready to handle the large number of existing vehicle owners in the country.

Motorists urged authorities to introduce a simple method to update ownership details, warning that unless the issue is fixed soon, many genuine vehicle owners will be left without fuel despite having valid registration documents.

It was also reported that many victims had been fall pray on fraudsters who share videos on social media platforms explaing on how to obtain National Fuel Pass QR codes. Those victims still trying to obtain fuel from filling stations while long staying on queues.