The Sri Lanka Air Force has revealed that more than 1,000 individuals caught spitting betel and urinating inside the renovated Colombo Pettah Central Bus Stand were compelled to clean the very areas they had dirtied.

It is reported that among those disciplined were several bus drivers and conductors. 

The offenders were identified through a round‑the‑clock CCTV surveillance system installed at the terminal, which also monitors passenger safety and prevents harassment.

A team of 25 Air Force personnel, led by Squadron Leader Indika Wickramasinghe, oversees the monitoring operation. The system employs 64 cameras, conducting 88 daily surveillance checks.

In the past seven months alone, the CCTV network has flagged 1,286 incidents at the bus stand. 

Based on the footage, 64 suspects involved in theft, property damage, and other illegal activities were arrested and handed over to the Police. (Newswire)

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The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has seized cosmetics worth nearly Rs. 10 million, found without mandatory labeling, during a raid in Pettah, Colombo.

Acting on information provided by the Police Special Unit, CAA officials carried out the raid yesterday (09) at a warehouse on Pettah’s main street. 

The confiscated consignment included imported skin‑whitening creams and lotions.

Authorities confirmed that the seized products lacked legally required details such as the date of manufacture, expiry date, manufacturer’s name, and importer’s information, a serious violation of consumer protection laws.

Officials emphasized that the goods were taken into custody before they could reach the retail market.

The CAA has already collected samples from 13 different brands, which have been sent for laboratory testing and further legal proceedings. (Newswire)

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A female pedestrian has died after being struck by a passenger transport bus near the private bus stand at Bastian Mawatha, Pettah, last evening.

According to the Police, the woman who had sustained injuries in the accident later died after being admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.

The identity of the deceased has not yet been confirmed, but investigations so far have revealed that she was a beggar woman.

The bus driver has been taken into custody, and further investigations are being carried out by the Pettah Police. (Newswire)

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The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is reported to be preparing to lease the Pettah Floating Market to a Japanese investor for USD 160 million, it is reported.

According to reports, the investor plans to renovate the shops and the night market within the complex under the current arrangement. 

Discussions are still ongoing regarding compensation for the current shop owners.

It is also stated that the investor has already paid USD 16 million to the Urban Development Authority.

Former Urban Development Minister Anura Karunathilaka had met this investor during his tenure, and yesterday (25), senior UDA officials held a special discussion regarding the leasing.

The Pettah Floating Market was originally built in 2014 by the Mahinda Rajapaksa government at a cost of Rs. 344 million. It contains 92 shops, along with two large restaurants. Of these, 10 shops are located on Beira Lake.

In 2021, the UDA incurred an additional expenditure of Rs. 50 million. Due to reduced trade during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, the floating market suffered losses, resulting in significant financial damage.

Although it was initially planned to attract tourists and sell local crafts and traditional food, when street vendors were allowed to operate there, attention to the project was lost.

Having operated for more than two years without maintenance, the Japanese investor now expects to completely renovate the market under a new plan.

It is also reported that the UDA has spent Rs. 14.9 million to produce a 20‑second promotional advertisement using a foreign announcer. (Newswire)

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The renovation of the Colombo Central Bus Stand in Pettah commenced this morning under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

It is reported that this marks the first major upgrade to the facility since its construction in 1964.

The Pettah Central bus stand is being renovated under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ national programme at an estimated cost of Rs. 425 million.

The work will be conducted with the direct labour contribution of the Sri Lanka Air Force and the support and cooperation of the Colombo Municipal Council, Lanka Electricity Board, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Road Development Authority, Urban Development Authority, and other institutions. (Newswire)

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The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) conducted special raids in Pettah yesterday, focusing on cosmetic and food outlets.

The CAA had detected unauthorized whitening creams and unregistered cosmetic products, which pose serious health risks to consumers, in several shops. 

During the raids, the CAA also found large stocks of imported chocolates without proper labelling, expiry dates, or ingredient information, which violate consumer protection laws and create serious safety concerns for the public.

The Consumer Affairs Authority said it will continue its island-wide inspections to protect consumers and ensure that only safe, genuine, and lawfully imported products are available.

The public is urged to report suspicious or unsafe products via the CAA’s hotline 1977. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted for the development of the Pettah Central bus stand under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ national program. 

According to the government, the access roads, bus yards, passenger stands, driver and conductor restrooms, administrative buildings, and sanitation and drainage systems of the Pettah Central Bus Stand are in a dilapidated condition due to a lack of repairs and maintenance. 

Passengers, drivers, conductors, and operational staff who use the Pettah Central bus stand have encountered immense difficulties as a result.

Therefore, the renovation and development of the Pettah Central Bus Stand have been identified as essential requirements, at an estimated cost of Rs. 425 million.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport to renovate and develop the Pettah Central bus stand by utilizing the provisions allocated for “Clean Sri Lanka”.

The work will be conducted with the direct labour contribution of the Air Force and the support and cooperation of the Colombo Municipal Council, Lanka Electricity Board, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Road Development Authority, Urban Development Authority, and other institutions. (Newswire)

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Elephant House Beverages has denied links to the incident where a 19-year-old girl was hospitalised after consuming a soft drink of the company in Pettah. 

A 19-year-old girl was hospitalized after consuming a cleaning chemical served in a soft drink bottle at a restaurant in People’s Park, Pettah on Tuesday (DEC 31).

Preliminary investigations revealed that the restaurant had reused an empty soft drink bottle to store cleaning chemicals, which had been accidentally sold to a consumer. 

Following a complaint by the victim’s relatives, Police recovered several similar bottles containing cleaning chemicals from the restaurant. 

Issuing a statement on the incident, Elephant House Beverages (Ceylon Cold Stores) said following thorough investigations, it has been determined that the liquid in question was not Elephant House Ginger Beer (EGB).

The company further said the retailer in question had repurposed a used, empty EGB PET bottle to store liquid unsuitable for consumption and that this repurposed bottle was subsequently sold to the consumer. 

Elephant House Beverages added that investigations are ongoing and the relevant authorities are following up to ensure all necessary actions are taken. (Newswire)

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Unidentified bodies have been found in two separate areas in the last 24 hours ending at 06.00 am today.

The Police said the body of a man was found in the lake near the floating market in Pettah, Colombo.

The body had been found this morning, while the Maradana Police is conducting investigations. 

Meanwhile, the bodies of two men were found near the Pulliyampokkane Bridge along the A-35 main road in Kilinochchi.

The Police said the bodies were found floating in the river close to the bridge, while Police investigations were underway. (Newswire)

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At least 17 persons with burn injuries have been admitted to the Colombo General Hospital, following the fire that broke out in Pettah today.

Sources from the Colombo General Hospital said that six out of the injured are in critical condition. 

A fire broke out at a clothing store located on 2nd Cross Street in Pettah, Colombo this morning.

Seven fire engines from the Colombo Frie Brigade had been dispatched to douse the fire. (NewsWire/ Pic- Thilina Kaluthotage)

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A fire broke out at a shop located on 2nd Cross Street in Pettah, Colombo this morning (Oct 27).

The Police stated that seven fire trucks from the Colombo Fire Brigade have been dispatched to douse the flames.

They added that a clothing store had caught fire. (NewsWire)

A fire broke out at a shop in Main street, Pettah. At least seven fire engines sent -Fire Department pic.twitter.com/gFGoj5c5ws

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) October 27, 2023

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The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has raided a wholesale clothing store selling sub-standard ready-made garments under the guise of world-famous clothing brands. 

The store found to be distributing its products to other store owners and online businesses for high prices was raided in the Pettah area in Fort.

Officials from the Consumer Affairs Authority conducted the raid yesterday (June 01) based on a complaint received against the store. (NewsWire)

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By Hasfar A Haleem

One of the most colourful, vibrant sights in Colombo is the packed streets of the Pettah market area, where the roadsides are filled with stalls selling fruit, toys, clothes and cosmetics.  Through the day and night, porters transport the goods to and fro.  These crowded streets, which are packed with potential customers, give the visitor a misleading impression of a bustling trade.  In fact, street vendors say that they are facing unprecedented hardship due to the prevailing economic crisis, along with constant worry about harassment from the authorities. We spent a day with Colombo’s roadside street traders to find out the true state of affairs.

One of the first people I met was Sarveswari, who runs a flower stall in Colombo Central.  She is her family’s sole breadwinner, and is finding life tough:

“Unlike in the past, doing business is very difficult at present. I fully depend on this small flower shop for the survival of my family and myself. The earnings I make are not at all enough to run my family. Having lost my husband, I am living in a rented house with three school-going children. The cost of essential commodities has skyrocketed, there are debts to be settled, electricity charges and water rates have increased. Besides all these, we have pawned jewellery in the bank which has to be redeemed and we have many other commitments. The price of a garland is Rs 200, but people are not prepared to buy one even for Rs 150”.

Krishna also sells flowers and garlands.  He’s an elderly man who brings in the garlands by bus each day.  “I can buy the required food items for cooking at home only with the proceeds of selling the garlands. But, nowadays, there is no income as the business is very very low,” he says. 

 The stories are common from stall to stall. Traders are concerned about ever-rising costs, which have major impacts on their day-to-day family life. Furthermore, during the rainy season they find it extremely difficult to carry on their business without proper shelter and with no mechanism to protect their wares, while in summer there is no respite from the blistering heat.  Notwithstanding sun and rain the street vendors carry on their activities for the sake of their children. Idhayaraja is a fruit vendor whose wife works as a housemaid and he told me they were struggling:

“I have been doing this business in the scorching sun. I have two children and I am doing this fruit shop business after getting a loan for investment. Yet, I am running the business at a loss as the trade is very low and I’m finding it difficult to make ends meet.”

Due to the massive fall in the US dollar, the cost of capital for starting a business is much higher now than in the past. This makes it difficult for traders to take out loans, and for the many traders who have existing loans, such as Idhayaraja, increased interest rates are making their loan instalments very difficult to repay. 

One particular group of traders is facing additional pressures: those who rely on imported goods.  “I earn only Rs. 1,500 per day while I have to feed five people in my family, let alone other essentials and incidentals. This amount is not enough to satisfy our hunger even. We wither in the scorching sun to earn this meagre income” said Rakuman, a small-scale toy vendor lamenting the condition of his roadside business and his financial burdens.

Rakuman is at the sharp end of the forex crisis: as he imports his toys, he is caught in the middle, having to pay more for his goods due the rising cost of import duties, but faced with the reduced ability of his customers to pay for what is seen in his case, sadly, as an inessential item.  Ironically, after a period of supply-chain shortages during Covid, there is now no shortage of goods.  Instead, there is a lack of demand from the public,, due to the high prices.  This category of businessmen is therefore facing numerous challenges. No money is left for saving these days, after meeting the daily expenses that are indispensable for survival.

As well as having to deal with rising costs of the goods they buy for onward sales, the vendors are having to deal with the same cost-of-living pressures as other Sri Lankan families.  At the same time, sales are declining. Fuel scarcity has been eliminated, but the income of the people has not increased.  According to Dr. K. Amirthalingam, Senior Professor of the Department of Economics of University of Colombo, inflation is said to have decreased from 73% to 53% but the cost of goods is still very high. 

The decline in purchasing is clear to see when you walk through Pettah bazaar: most street vending and pavement hawking is closed by about 7 o’clock in the evening. Even though the Tamil and Sinhala New Year and Ramadan Festival seasons are on, spending is down.

Mohamed Imthiyas, an Achcharu maker using a variety of local fruits who sells his product on the pavements told me:

“People do not have money. The prices of goods are beyond the purse of the people. If they had money only, they would buy things from us. Nowadays, we face many difficulties in carrying out our business as there are fewer people on the roads. All the goods are sold at exorbitant prices. With this trend in sight, it is impossible to carry on our business. Means of day-to- day income are rare; somehow we manage to run the family with whatever we have.” 

We asked street vendors what they took home each day.  Most told us they made a profit of between Rs 1500 and Rs 2000 per day but that they were unable to manage their families with that income due to the rising cost of living. We also spoke to the vendors’ wives.  One told us:

“If we earn Rs 2,000 rupees a day, we will not have any money left for the next day, so it is hardly enough for our family’s daily survival. We cannot save anything. Unlike in the past, materials for our school-going children take much of our earnings. Besides, the prices of school materials and equipment are prohibitive with a three-fold increase, even the cost of essential food items and other essentials have skyrocketed too. The unreasonable increase of electricity charges, water rates, etc. is another burden we are unable to shoulder. In the circumstances, please tell us how we can make at least a modicum of savings for our future.”  

Another common complaint from the traders is disruption by police.  Ramseen is a home appliances trader and he told me  “The business has fallen sharply these days. We are greatly affected by it.  Sometimes during our business on the pavements, the police would ask us to remove our wares and the makeshift tent. What to do? They are doing their duty. We have got to abide by the law.”

This is a point of real concern for street vendors who say that, despite what politicians claim from time to time, there is no definite law pertaining to the use of pavements by hawkers.  Though I requested details of any current regulations regarding pavement vending, no official information could be obtained from the officials of the Colombo Municipal Council. 

On roads, traders are not allowed to impede traffic or pedestrian crossings so during rush hour the police clear vendors from the streets.  And, though the traders share the concerns of some protestors, marches by trade unions of every profession and trade are causing additional problems, with roadblocks and street closures by the security forces depriving them of the little business they still have.

One vendor told me a pitch rental system would make life easier as it would enable traders to operate without fear: “Since Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, roadside businesses have been carried out in the Colombo Central area. But successive governments have never cared to allocate places for their business activities.”

The vendors also told me they were concerned that, unlike shopkeepers, there is no registered association for hawkers to lobby on their behalf. 

A meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat recently (April 6,2023) with the representatives of the Colombo Thurai Traders Association and the Pavement Vendors Association (who represent traders in larger shops) to find a solution to the problems of the pavement vendors.  Sagala Ratnayake, the President’s Senior Advisor on National Security and the Head of the Presidential Staff, gave some assurances during the meeting. Issuing of identity cards for the traders/ vendors was also discussed at this meeting.

Back at Sarveshwari’s flower stall, she tells me about the dreams she and her husband had for their children’s future.  Her husband ran the flower stall for 20 years but when he suddenly died three years ago, Sarveshwari took over the running of the business. All three children attend school but, with her rented house costing  Rs 20,000/- per month, her financial struggles are mounting. Despite her determination, this self-employed woman’s dreams of living with her head held high look likely to be a mirage.

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