BENGALURU: In a bid to rein in nearly 10,000 operators manning Aadhaar card enrolment centres spread across the Southern States, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), will shortly launch a toll-free number to redress public complaints about them.
The trial run of the number, 1800-425-6666, is presently on and it will have an official launch next week.
Deputy Director, UIDAI, South Region, M S Krishnamurthy told The New Indian Express, "UIDAI has taken this initiative in public interest as we receive complaints frequently about overcharging by operators for making any modifications to the Aadhaar card. The public need to be charged only Rs 50 for every visit to the Aadhaar centre even if they need to make a few changes on the card. We also get complaints about operators not opening shop or staff not around when public visit them." Rude behaviour on the part of a section of operators is also a major grouse, he added.
The South Region takes care of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala as well as Pondicherry and Lakshadweep.
An office to handle calls pertaining to the number with staff will be set up in the head office of UIDAI at the South Wing of Khanija Bhavan on Race Course Road, Krishnamurthy added. It will initially be available to answer calls during the UIDAI office timings (9.30 am to 6 pm) but will extend timings depending on public response to it.
A nationwide toll-free number - 1947 - already exists to take care of all grievances pertaining to Aadhaar which is manned 24x7 throughout the year. "If the public reach out here too about complaints against operators, they will be diverted to our new number solely installed for this purpose," the official said.
Aadhaar enrolment centres are presently entrusted with registrars, banks, post offices and Common Service Centres run by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and they hire operators to man it.