Poor mobile network takes toll on business at Baliyatra, traders suffer

CUTTACK: Even as the district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) are claiming to have made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of Baliyatra, poor mobile connectivity and internet service at the fair ground are causing problems for visitors and traders. 

Traders alleged their business has taken a hit due to absence of internet service at the upper and lower Baliyatra grounds. With online payment platforms rendered defunct, it is not possible to accept payment from customers online.  “Our business has been badly hit as internet is not working properly,” said Ram Kumar, a trader. 

Though the issue has been persisting for the last three days, the administration is yet to come up with a solution to it. Visitors to the fair too are facing problems while making payments. “Nowadays trade is mostly dependent on online transactions. Be it customers or traders, apps are widely used for accepting or making payments. None of the apps like PhonePay, Google BharatPay, Paytm and others are working properly at the trade fair ground. The problem is not only with one telecom company but most service providers,” said Swarnaprabha Rout, a visitor. 

The issue has not only affected traders but also those who visit Odisha’s largest fair in groups. Banambar Swain of Dhenkanal said his family of nine had been to the fair on Wednesday. “Four of us got separated and had to wait till next morning to get reunited as owing to absence of signal, we could not call each other,” he said.  

While efforts to elicit response from CMC commissioner Nikhil Pavan Kalyan on the issue proved futile, collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani said he would hold discussion with service providers to solve the problem.