Sir,

On Oct. 19, my family travelled from Mysuru to Ramanathapura via a KSRTC bus, where we utilised the facility of free travel for women. While our Aadhaar details from DigiLocker were accepted during our journey from Mysuru, the conductor on our return trip insisted that we present a hard copy of Aadhaar card, which we did not have.

This led to a disagreement. I pointed out that digital documents from DigiLocker are accepted by Traffic Police for vehicle inspections and by several Government Offices, making them a valid and secure alternative to physical copies.

However, the conductor argued that in the event of a surprise inspection or decoy check, his job could be at risk if only a digital version was presented, particularly if the phone was switched off or unavailable.

Eventually, after my husband intervened and requested leniency, the conductor allowed us to travel without payment, acknowledging the digital Aadhaar card.

I urge the authorities to provide clear guidelines on this issue for both passengers and bus conductors. This would help avoid confusion and prevent unnecessary arguments.

Additionally, in today’s digital age, isn’t relying on physical copies of important documents a security risk? Why shouldn’t digital versions be equally accepted, especially when they are widely used and recognised across various sectors?

– K. Shreedevi, Mysuru, 20.10.2024

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