Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake has instructed Municipal Commissioner to suspend all fines charged relating to parking meters – pending the approval of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

“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,” she tweeted today.

The new parking meters installed around the Colombo city have caused controversy due to the large amounts of money charged in fines for not paying a parking fee.

These ‘parking fee violations’ have run upward of Rs. 10, 000 as the violation is calculated even after the offending vehicle is removed, right until the payment is made.

Many have made an outcry on social media calling this new system out for being unfair, and “daylight robbery”.

In the face of heavy criticism by the public, Senanayake has made the move to suspend all parking fines, pending CMC approval.