In this age of ATMs, payment gateways and Internet banking, a ‘mobile bank’ on wheels might sound anachronistic. But that’s exactly the kind of service that many account holders of Thiruvananthapuram District Co-operative Bank still bank on for their day-to-day financial dealings. However, on account of mounting maintenance costs and a gradually dwindling customer base, this punctual service may become a thing of the past, even as its loyal votaries keep their fingers crossed. Started in 1981, the mobile bank is believed to be the first such service introduced in South India and is perhaps the only such surviving one in the district. Sparing the customers the trouble of travelling to the bank and having to wait in serpentine queues, the mobile bank’s service has been handy chiefly for senior citizens despite a growing acceptance of e-banking. “It is just like a bank but on wheels. For me, utilising the facility is the same as actually visiting the bank. The mobile bank has been of immense help for me over the years for my bank transactions,” says Chandrika Devi (57), a resident of Indira Nagar near Peroorkada who has been making use of the facility for over 30 years. From receiving deposits to cash withdrawals to cheque collection to facilitating money transfer services such as NEFT and RTGS to requests for updating passbooks, the mobile bank currently operates out of an SUV as the bank-commissioned “special-purpose” bus has been garaged after long years of service. “The original bus earmarked for the service used to feature a cash counter, a manager’s cabin and even an attached step-ladder to help customers get on the vehicle. This service is, in fact, free of charge”, says R. Mukundan, a senior accountant who is part of the bank staff posted with the mobile bank. SMS intimation of any financial dealing would also be completed after due update on the same day. Covering a wide breadth of the city, from Peroorkada at one end to the Airport at the other, the service covers about 10 ‘points’ in its cross-city shuttle. Functioning on all days except on Sundays and public holidays, the “daily routine” starts from the bank’s head office at East Fort where cash for the day is collected by the handling staff. The first ‘point’ of service is at Indira Nagar near Peroorkada where the vehicle reaches around 9.15 am. By the time the vehicle returns to the head office around lunch time, it would have made “work stops” at Ambalamukku, Jawahar Nagar, near Public Office Complex, Vanchiyoor Court, Airport (domestic terminal) and Subhash Nagar near Enchakkal. The only post-lunch point is Shanthi Nagar. “Earlier, the service was much in favour among account-holders with the bank. It’s like your bank coming to your doorstep or neighbourhood. At one point, it was deemed more convenient than even using an ATM,” says Mukundan. Sindhu Vinod (50) from Kowdiar, who has been availing herself of the facility “since the early ’90s”, is nostalgic about the realistic appeal of the bus as a bank. “Entering it used to feel just like being inside a bank. The only thing I had to ensure as a customer was to be present at the designated point at the designated time. The service has certainly been a pride for Thiruvananthapuram and I sincerely hope that it will continue and keep its unique tradition alive,” she says. For K. Raju (64) from Indira Nagar who retired as a KSRTC station master, his pension funds are regularly deposited in the bank through the mobile bank. “It’ll be a great loss for people like me if the mobile bank comes to a halt. Just think about having to travel to the nearest branch every time when required,” he wonders. One would think transporting cash might pose a certain element of risk but K. Prasannakumar, a security-man who had been with the mobile bank for over 10 years, says he never faced any hurdles while accompanying the staff. “The only challenge, probably, was being on the dot at each service point,” he says. Faced with the need to cut costs and adapt to a digital future for the bank, it appears that the service is destined to hit a roadblock. “From the bank’s point of view, carrying on the service may not be financially feasible. Though the mobile bank used to have a large number of dedicated users, today, there are multiple delivery channels available to them. With core banking features, the customers also have the option of making use of any of our branches for financial dealings. So there is a proposal to wind up the service. It may be just a matter of time,” says S. Kumar, General Manager of the bank. All good things must come to an end, and the decades-old assistance may be no exception. A close encounter with people and places in the city

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