ComBank’s milestone 800th ATM installed at relocated Giriulla branch

Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Personal Banking Sandra Walgama declares open the bank’s 800th ATM in Sri Lanka at the relocated Giriulla branch

Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s ATM network, an indispensable facilitator of the daily lives of millions of Sri Lankans, reached another milestone this week with the commissioning of its 800th terminal in Giriulla, on the Negombo-Kurunegala Road.

The event coincided with the relocation of the bank’s Giriulla branch to No. 105, Kurunegala Road, Giriulla to better serve customers in the area as well as those passing through this busy town. The relocated branch ceremonially declared open by Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager – Personal Banking Sandra Walgama now offers three ATM machines, in addition to other facilities.

The largest ATM network owned by a private bank in Sri Lanka, Commercial Bank’s ATM network has grown by 100 terminals in one year, after the 700th ATM opened at MAS Intimates Vidiyal in Kilinochchi in November 2017. 

The network has set and rewritten many records over the years for cash dispensed during times of national celebrations such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and Christmas. Between 1 and 13 April this year for example, the Commercial Bank ATM network dispensed Rs. 27.373 billion, at an average of Rs. 2.1 billion per day, reaffirming the essential role it plays in the everyday lives of Sri Lankans, as well as the reliability and robustness of the network.

Commercial Bank was the first bank in Sri Lanka to upgrade its entire ATM network to EMV Chip capability, significantly enhancing security against fraud by conforming to the EMV standards of the various card brands that it accepts. As a result, every Commercial Bank ATM now accepts and processes transactions based on Smart Card Integrated Circuit (IC) data as well as magnetic strip data.

About a fifth of Commercial Bank’s ATM network is located outside the precincts of its branches, with terminals installed in places such as industrial zones, railway stations, central bus stands, apartment complexes, shopping malls and large scale factories, enhancing access for customers and non-customers alike.