 "Another Indian jugaad: Hire a 'Chotu' to take your place in the ATM line")
Tired of standing in serpentine queues outside banks and ATMs, are you? An ingenious online service has come up with a smart solution to this unprecedented problem that arose following the demonetisation drive. Bookmychotu.com offers errand boys, all of whom it claims are 18 years or more, to stand in the line for you, just so that you can get that much-needed cash without much pain.
'Chotu' means the little one in Hindi; A hired helper from BookmyChotu will hold your place in the queue till he approaches the gate of the bank. After that, you take over from him and collect the new currency notes without wasting too much time. Note, however, that he will neither enter the bank nor withdraw the money on your behalf. The service costs as little as Rs 90 for an hour. The price goes up to as much as Rs 550 for an eight-hour service (see table: What the service costs)
| What the service costs | ||||||||
| No of hours | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Rate (Rs) | 90 | 170 | 260 | 330 | 380 | 450 | 500 | 550 |
The Delhi-based startup has been founded by Satjeet Singh Bedi. He was quoted as saying that the idea struck him when his mother was ill and he needed money immediately.
BookmyChotu calls itself the 'first on-demand helper booking website' that provides 'Chotus' who will stand in queues outside banks and ATMS for you in Delhi and NCR.
After Narendra Modi demonetised the 500- and 1,000-rupee currency notes on November 8, there have been serpentine queues of people outside banks, waiting for their turn to exchange or withdraw money. In such a scenario, this new service comes as a relief to many.
How to hire ‘Chotus’?
You need to choose the number of helps you want from bookmychotu.com, mentioning the number of hours they are required. Once you get a confirmation, you are good to go.
Payments can either be done online or in cash. The customer can even pay the due amount to the helper directly. The salaries paid are as per the minimum wages prescribed by the government.
Apart from standing in queues, a ‘chotu’ can be hired for various domestic chores like shifting, cleaning, grocery shopping, market help, house party help, help in a religious get-together, and more.
