Bhubaneswar: A major disruption in United Payments Interface (UPI) services on Saturday paralysed daily transactions across Bhubaneswar, leaving thousands of residents struggling to complete routine purchases and payments.
The widespread technical glitch, affecting multiple UPI platforms, caused significant business losses and inconvenience across the capital city, where digital payments have become the preferred mode of transaction.
“Our sales dropped by nearly 40% as customers left without making purchases due to payment failures,” said Ravi Kanta Mohanty, an electronics shop owner in Saheed Nagar. Several other merchants reported similar experiences, highlighting the city’s overwhelming dependence on digital payment systems.
The outage particularly affected students and young professionals. “I couldn’t pay my semester fees today. Almost all my transactions are UPI-based,” said Anita Mishra, a student at Rama Devi Women’s University.
Essential services were also impacted, with many commuters facing difficulties at fuel stations. “I was fortunate to have cash on hand when the UPI system failed at the petrol pump,” said Suresh Pradhan, a local resident.