Bangalore One (B1), a Karnataka government’s e-governance initiative, has been serving citizens since 2005. This ‘One-stop-shop’ facility that is open 24×7 (mini centres are open from 8 AM to 8 PM) aims to redefine public service under one roof. Here’s a round up of available services at the B1 centres.

Services offered by Bangalore One (pic: Vaishnavi Vittal)

These centres allow you to pay your BSNL telephone billsas well as Spice, Airtel, Tata Indicom, Cell One and Reliance phone bills. Bills can be paid through cash, cheque or DD. You can also pay your water bills to BWSSB and electricity bills to BESCOM at these centres. But even as their official website mentions that you can apply for a new water connection and retrieve the statement of accounts at these centres, these services are not available. Similarly you cannot file any grievance related to BESCOM or get a statement of your account, all of which are mentioned on the website.

All these bills can be paid 24/7 at the main centres. According to the website, between 8 PM and 8 AM, you can pay only through cheque, DD, credit card or debit card. Cash will not be accepted during this time. 

Another service introduced about a year and a half back is the ING Life Insurance service. You can pay your insurance premium or cancel any premium payments within a day of payment.

If you are looking to buy a bus pass, either a monthly or a student’s pass, you can go to your nearest B1 centre. Under the BMTC services, you can buy Pushpak Pass, Red Board Pass or Black Board Pass. You can also book KSRTC bus tickets using the Red Bus service.

The Bangalore Police service has integrated its Parking Fine Payment service with Bangalore One. If you have been fined for violating parking norms, you can now pay the fine amount at any B1 centre. Traffic Violation Payment service allows you to pay your fine for traffic violations such as riding without a helmet.

Regional Passport Office service allows you to buy a passport application form and apply for both new passport and renewal. Payment is only through cash or credit card. These services are available only between 9 AM and 7 PM. You can also check the status of your application at the centres. However, at the mini centres, you can only buy the forms but not submit them.

Domestic flight ticket booking is also available at Bangalore One centres. You can book both one way and round trip tickets for all airlines except Indian Airlines. You can check booking status and cancel bookings (up to 24 hours before boarding).

Western Union Money Transfer service helps you collect transferred money by producing an ID card. This service, however, is available only at select Bangalore One centres such as Shantinagar and Banashankari. You can even buy movie tickets from Bangalore One centres for select theatres such as Innovative Multiplex and Vision Cinemas. All the above mentioned services are available without any extra payment.

What’s not available?

Even as the Bangalore One website states that they provide BBMP related services, none of them are available at the centres. "Birth and death certificates used to be issued at Bangalore One centres but are no longer available because the BBMP has not allotted any doctor for attesting the certificate," says Anand S G, Centre Manager, Koramangala Bangalore One centre. The website also mentions payment of property tax, Road Transport Office services and Stamp and Registration Office services, none of which are available at the centres.

Bangalore One has also temporarily suspended railway ticket booking service.

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