Prepaid cab counters at airport start accepting digital payment

KOLKATA: The pre-paid taxi counters outside the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport have started taking payments using cards or a unified payment interface (UPI) from Saturday.

Before the Coronavirus inducted pandemic had hit the country, one of the five counters of the pre-paid taxi had point-of-sale (POS) machines but soon stopped operating. After a period of two years, it is being reintroduced.

Now, the POS machines have been installed in three of the five booking counters leading to an ease in customer queues and unnecessary hassle to book a cab only in cash payment.

It had caused inconvenience to the commuters who did not have enough cash on them or were unable to withdraw from the ATM, which is at least 500 meters away.

It has also been reported that two more such machines will be installed by the end of the coming week. This prepaid taxi kiosk outside the airport is run by the Bidhannagar Police in coordination with the Progressive Taxi Mens' Union.