For 31 differently abled persons at the Kempegowda Bus Terminus, it’s raining coins, literally!
The physically handicapped have been assigned the task of distributing coins to lakhs of people who make calls from public telephone booths installed at the 78 locations on every alternate pillar at platforms in the Majestic station.
The coin booths provided by Sapna Associates to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) have, for the first time ever provided an alternate source of livelihood to 31 persons.

Opportunity
Says Upendra Tripathy, Managing Director, BMTC, “These volunteers have been recommended to us by the Commissioner for Disabilities.
The idea is to give them an opportunity to eke out a living, without depending on others.
A monthly honourarium is paid to them. Plans are in the offing to extend the initiative to other bus stations.” Sapna Associates pay a monthly honourarium of Rs 3,500 to each of the volunteers.
The differently abled people who sought employment when the coin booths were installed, were offered the job after BMTC gave assurance that they would be provided a monthly honourarium.
The Disability Commissioner was entrusted with the task of scrutinising eligible candidates for the job, added officials.

Benefit
For Suresh (25) and Raghupathy (36), both physically handicapped, it was difficult to make ends meet. Now, they are there on the job providing change to callers from 8 am to 8 pm. Scores of others like them now stand to benefit from this.
“We were earlier employed by a private firm and were earning less than Rs 1,000 a month. With a family to support, the employment was a godsend. Without a good education backing us up, employment had been difficult.”
Now, even public response has been good. People wanting change in Re one denomination have found the facility very useful. We have even received compliments for the service from the public,” they add.
Mr Gururaj of Sapna Associates said, “there are six women and four visually impaired among the 31 employed. We provide tea and refreshments to them.”
“We pay a monthly rent of Rs 1.2 lakh to the BMTC for use of pillars on which the booths have been affixed. Selection of volunteers was done by the Commissioner for Disabilities.”