Stall Owners Not Issuing Bills at Mulund Station!
In a bid to bring transparency and give impetus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital Payment Plan, the Central Railway (CR) has introduced a new policy of ‘No Bill, No Payment’.
The step has been taken by CR to curb the ‘bossism’ of the errant vendors and railway stall owners, who overcharge and refuse to give bills despite insistence by passengers. Though the Railways has announced the ‘No Bill, No Payment’ strategy two weeks ago, but Home Times in its reality check detected some stall owners still not abiding by the rule and selling items without bills. Surprisingly, even the passengers are not aware of CR’s latest plan!!
Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal introduces ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy
It may be noted that on July 18, 2019, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal introduced the latest ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy through Twitter. In his tweet, Piyush Goyal shared a video and announced that the Ministry of Railways has made mandatory for the vendors and all railway stall owners to give bills to its customers. In case any seller refuses to give a bill on a train or a railway platform, customers are permitted not to pay anything for the commodity purchased!
Home Times team detects stall owners not issuing bills at Mulund Station
Readers may kindly note that ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy has been implemented and the passengers travelling in trains or at railway platforms must take advantage of this policy. Home Times team visited Mulund station to conduct a reality check about the awareness about the ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy among the vendors and the passengers.
Home Times, in its investigation, detected that at platforms number 2, 3 and 4 a few stalls were not issuing bills. Upon enquiry, the stall owners started issuing bills. A Mulundkar said, “The passengers must be aware of such rules because if the passengers would not demand a bill then no stall owner would give bills voluntarily. Secondly, when buyers do not demand bills the stall owners are encouraged and they overcharge.”
Few honest vendors issuing bills at Mulund station
Interestingly, at Mulund railway station Home Times also found some honest vendors issuing bills. We found bhel puri stalls at different places at the railway station issuing bills to patrons. Besides, all the stalls at the railway station have put up boards advocating passengers to collect bills after purchasing anything from the stalls.
While the stall owners are conscious about the ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy, surprisingly the passengers seem to be ignorant of the policy. An honest stall owner told Home Times, “We have no problem in issuing bills. The problem is for the corrupt sellers who are looting the customers by overcharging.” He added, “The customers must procure bills but very few people understand the importance of taking a bill. It is often observed that the customers are in such a hurry that they rush off without obtaining the bill. Under such circumstances, we are helpless.”
Railway Inspectors in plain clothes to keep vigilance on errant sellers
Though the Railways has employed inspectors to keep a hawk’s eye on the stall owner issuing bills, but the bitter truth is that a majority of sellers are not issuing bills to passengers! The Railways is regularly receiving complaints at the railway control room and its tweeter account.
Hence, the Railways is gearing up to take action on errant sellers not issuing bills. The Railways has thus decided to deploy inspectors in plain clothes to keep vigilance on corrupt vendors. These inspectors would be patrolling around railway stalls and pounce upon the corrupt vendors not issuing bills.
Passengers applaud ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy
Appreciating the ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy, a regular passenger said, “The ‘No Bill, No Payment’ policy is an excellent step by the Railway authorities. It will benefit the passengers because usually the vendors at railway stations charge more than the retail price. Even the rates of water bottles and eatables are not fixed. Thus, issuing of bills will put the brakes on the corruption of the stall owners and the vendors. It will indirectly help the passengers and also the government can earn taxes which these stall owners and the vendors evade by not issuing bills.”
