Bengaluru: Nearly two years after the Any Time Payment (ATP) kiosks for payment of electricity bills were removed by Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), they will be re-introduced across the city due to popular demand. And this time, the number of kiosks will increase substantially.
Earlier, Bescom has 117 kiosks, which reported an average 13 lakh transactions every month. They were shut down in January 2015 citing the availability of other mode of payments, including additional cash counters and post office counters.
However, the shift to other modes has not been smooth. Among other things, payment of bills at post offices did not gain traction, said a Bescom source.
The decision to reintroduce the kiosks was based on feedback from customers as well as Bescom staff, sources said.
“We expect the kiosks to be running by February,” a senior official said.
This time around there will be 217 kiosks. They will accept card payments, will have operators for 12 hours and will not be affected by power outages or system breakdown. “Updation of payment will be in real time,” sources said.
The return of the kiosks will mean smoother revenue collection for Bescom besides savings in salaries being paid to staff manning cash counters.
Pay at kiosk
Number of kiosks: 217
To be ready by February 2017
Card payment possible
Real time updation of payment
