Use drop boxes to save time in Bangalore

Confusion prevailed at several LPG outlets as consumers queued up to be counted as holders of legal connections.

Despite the department of Food and Civil Supplies putting out abundant information on the documents that need to be submitted, the scene at outlets remained chaotic.

For those who are yet to make the visit, here is some reassurance — you need not visit your agent. You could even send in your documents via post. Drop boxes have already been placed at the outlets. The department is in the process of simplifying things further.

 The documents required are a photocopy of the ration card and a copy of the recent electricity bill. Those without ration cards need to give a letter stating the same. An agent confirmed that these could be sent through a friend or the landlord. Many are requesting delivery boys to drop off the envelopes with all the documents.

“We have even kept a drop box. But people are still queuing up and wanting to speak to the agents themselves. They want to clarify things personally. So we have kept a separate counter for that. The phones too are ringing non-stop,” said Bhagyalakshmi T, a clerk at MM Enterprises in New BDA Layout.

 The agency has about 20,000 consumers. Danish Gas Agency on Hennur Road said that a copy of ration card and electricity bill can be sent. “Owners of the connections need not visit the agency. They can send these through neighbours, too,” a representative of the agency said.  

 The queues continue to remain long as anxious consumers refused to use the drop box facility since they wanted to pass on the documents to their agents and get an acknowledgement.

Once a consumer reaches the counter, it barely takes him a few minutes to obtain an acknowledgement. But that is still adding to the waiting time of others behind him. Most consumers are realising that it is a good idea to complete the procedure themselves as any omission will cost them dear later.
Manjunath, a resident of JP Nagar, was unaware that he had to submit details such as agency he was enrolled with, name, address, RR number etc on a plain sheet of paper. He was told this only when he reached the counter. That meant he had to return home and come back to join the queue with the additional document.

“I am not sure if all the trouble will pay off,” he said. 

Another consumer was similarly inconvenienced as he learned very late that he had to carry the photocopy of the gas book as well.

 An official from the department confirmed that there is no need for obtaining an acknowledgement and that drop boxes and postal services could be used.

He said that 30% of enrolments have been completed across the 132 agencies in the city.