By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: The Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW), the water supply arm of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), which continues to make technological advancements to enhance consumer experience, will soon launch a dynamic QR code system for water bill payments.

Through this system, which will be implemented within a week, a QR (Quick Response) code will be printed on each consumer’s water bill, allowing them to make payments in seconds.

The decision to introduce the QR code-based payment was finalised at a meeting held on July 6 that was chaired by MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy.

VVWW Executive Engineer (EE) Suvarna and representatives from a software company that is behind the innovative system participated.

With the new system, the consumer will simply have to scan the QR code from their Android or iPhone using apps such as Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Bhim, PhonePe etc. The bill details along with the amount to be paid will appear on the screen. The consumer simply has to press the ‘pay’ tab and payment will be complete.

The details of payment will appear on the screen and the consumer will also receive an intimation via SMS. The amount will automatically be deducted from the linked bank account and the entire payment process can be completed in a few seconds.

QR code-based payment is more efficient, less time-consuming, error-free, more secure and tamper-proof.  According to Suvarna, each customer’s bill will have a different QR code and the code changes every month. If another customer scans the code that is already assigned to someone else’s bill, they will not receive the bill details.

Additionally, using one month’s bill that has a QR code to pay for a different month’s bill is also not possible.

“The code printed on each bill is specifically assigned for the payment of that particular month. Customers can simply scan it with their mobile phones and make the payment within 30 seconds,” Suvarna explained.

Until now, for the water bill payments, customers had to visit cash counters to make cash payments. There are over 1,70,000 official water customers in Mysuru and they will receive their printed water bills soon with QR code so that they can pay the bill from the comforts of their homes.

The Corporation is also making efforts to convert approximately 19,000 to 20,000 illegal water connections into official ones with ease, extending the reach of the QR code system to all customers, Suvarna added.

The system would help one make the payment without cash or debit/credit card. The formalities for the facility were almost complete and the system would be implemented after getting the green signal from the MCC heads.