Commercial Bank reopens expanded Wellawatte branch in purpose-built 8-storey green building

Tuesday, 20 December 2016 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon in Wellawatte, one of the oldest and most-patronised branches of the bank, has been substantially expanded and reopened to better serve the bank’s retail and corporate customers in the area.

Now accommodated in an eight-storey, environmentally-friendly edifice custom-built by the bank for the purpose, the revamped Wellawatte branch has more banking counters and customer spaces, its own Automated Banking Centre for 24-hour access and enhanced customer parking.

The formal opening of the expanded Wellawatte branch by Commercial Bank of Ceylon Managing Director/CEO Jegan Durairatnam Durairatnam

Coinciding with the branch’s 42nd anniversary, the reopening was attended by Commercial Bank’s corporate management led by Managing Director/CEO Jegan Durairatnam and Chief Operating Officer S. Renganathan.

The new building was designed in conformity with the green agenda of the bank and utilises natural light to the maximum. The entire building is lit with energy-saving LED lights and the bank said it had plans to install solar panels for the building in the near future. The building also has a rainwater harvesting facility.

“Wellawatte is a key branch which serves a wide cross-section of customers and was a model branch that was used as a benchmark for branches set up after it,” Commercial Bank’s Managing Director Durairatnam recalled. “The popularity of the branch was such that it became one of our most patronised branches, necessitating an expansion of the premises.”

The new building also accommodates some of Commercial Bank’s key departments previously located in different parts of Colombo.