How does the government expect people to switch over to digital payment system without doing proper ground work asks commuters?
The PoS machines installed at toll plazas with the objective to reduce queues of vehicles has resulted into massive traffic snarls at these booths. These machines were introduced to reduce the usage of cash at toll booths and address the problem of change. However, more chaos was witnessed at toll plazas as toll booth operators are yet to get familiar with the new technology. It takes around 2 to 3 minutes to complete each transaction as plaza attendants have to enter the vehicle number, trip details and later handover the point of sale machine to the customer to key in the pin number. Sometimes the hand held devices fail to work due to network connectivity issues. At times motorists have to swipe the machine twice due to failure of transaction. As a result of this commuters get into a heated argument with toll plaza attendants.
“The Modi government has urged citizens to opt for cash less transactions for eliminating black money however they have failed to do the ground work. The government could have asked toll booth operators to install PoS machines before announcing the demonetisation drive. How can you expect people to switch over to a new system without making alternative arrangements?,” asked Sumit Jain a Borivali resident.
“I am worried about using my debit card at toll booths and hotels as there is a possibility of the data of my card being compromised to withdraw money from my bank account. If the government wants citizens to use digital mode of payment then it must also should have an effective mechanism to address rising cyber crimes in the country,” Niraj Bharambhe a Dahisar resident said.
“Already, I am fed up of standing in queues outside banks and ATMs to withdraw my money and now the government wants me to wait near toll booths for carrying online transactions which is a time consuming process. People also should be allowed to pay in cash if they tender exact amount of change to toll booth attendants. The government should start promoting FASTags so that toll fare is automatically deducted and motorists need not halt at toll plazas,” said Satish Rohankar a business man from Kandivali
“We have appointed toll runners to stand ahead in lanes to collect the toll either in cash or by swiping credit/debit card to avoid serpentine queues. The toll runners are equipped with PoS machines for swiping cards as well as giving change,” a spokesperson from MEP Infrastructure said.
Toll fee collection on national highways had been suspended until midnight of December 2 due to the confusion and disruption resulting from the sudden scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. However, at the stroke of midnight on Saturday (December 3), the toll collection services on all the national highways resumed.
