Tourists and local residents are experiencing considerable inconvenience at highway toll gates in Sri Lanka, as payments are currently restricted to Sri Lankan currency only.
A QR code payment system introduced by the previous government has been criticized for malfunctioning, with users reporting that the codes often fail to scan properly.
A senior official from the Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division confirmed that toll gates do not support Visa card payments, despite proposals for such facilities. Approval from relevant authorities is still pending.
Individuals without Sri Lankan rupees are directed to the nearest police station, where they are advised to visit an ATM or bank branch to withdraw cash for the toll fees. In some cases, toll gate operators resort to alternative methods to collect payments from those without local currency.
This issue disproportionately impacts foreign visitors unfamiliar with local payment practices, especially those carrying only foreign currency or Visa cards.
To address these challenges, the official recommended equipping toll gates with Visa card payment systems to better accommodate both locals and tourists.
Currently, the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system is operational only on the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, limiting its benefits to other major expressways.
