Mumbai: Over 2,000 auto, taxi drivers get lessons in going cashless, 122 bank accounts opened

“When I reached the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in the morning to check the fitness of my rickshaw, I was asked to produce my papers. The papers were then used to take down my details and my vehicle was seized for the day. The batch of drivers who had come with me were then put in a bus and brought here to the mela for a lesson on cashless transactions,” Khaire told The Indian Express.

Like Khaire, hundreds of taxi and autorickshaw drivers were hustled into vehicles and brought to the university campus Tuesday morning to get lessons on how to do digital transactions using the BHIM app for smartphones and *99# for ordinary phones. They were given lessons on how to facilitate cash exchange through their mobile phones. Many drivers complained that the “imposed” lesson was “complicated” and affected their day’s business. While some said they understood only a little of what was being taught, a few others agreed to try it out.

“We were asked questions on how we manage cash issue or cash change when we face problems with commuters. Then each of us was told how to use the application by linking the same to our mobile phones. They lectured us in English, Marathi and Hindi and then asked us to implement the same on our phones,” said Prashant Sane of the Maharashtra Auto Rickshaw Chalak Union.

“I do not mind downloading any of the applications if the same is asked to be done by the authorities. I will use it if my commuter demands it,” said Abdul Hamid, a taxi driver.

Laxman Chorge, another auto-rickshaw driver, said he planned to start accepting payment through e-wallets.

Another rickshaw driver, Vishnu Yadav, was scared if he did not attend the lessons on Tuesday, he would not get his vehicle back, currently parked at Borivli RTO where he had gone for an annual meter reader checking. “One of the officials accompanied us to make sure we attend the event. I left home at 4 am, and haven’t eaten anything until now,” said Yadav.

The mela also hosted stalls for food, souvenirs and corporates to promote digital payment use among visitors. With food stalls also asking for digital payments in order to eat, many drivers ended up staying hungry.

“They are charging Rs 100 for a plate, and the payment has to be done digitally. If we do not have an account, they ask us to make one and come. We could not eat due to this and had to wait for someone else to do our transaction,” Khaire complained.

“I tried getting my account linked at one of the stalls, which failed three times due to net connectivity issues. If this model is not going to be useful here, how are we supposed to take payments from our commuters who are already in a hurry to get their change back? The model is useful, but maybe not implementable,” said Gopinath Bhagat, another rickshaw driver.

The mela aimed to inform ration shop owners, transport agencies and residents’ groups about various modes of using cashless payments. “The aim is to sensitise cashless payments and lessen apprehension of people regarding the same. When an awareness of the same is there among such agencies, a trickle-down effect can be witnessed,” said Muttu Krishnan, Director, Information Technology, who organised the event. Nearly 2,300 people attended the event and almost 122 new bank accounts were opened there Tuesday.