The latest hi-tech automation in the UAE has come in the form of the e-dirham card vending machines that have been installed by the Ministry of Finance and Industry in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
More machines are being installed across the UAE to enable people purchase e-dirham cards.Called e-saraf, the e-dirham vending machines accept UAE banknotes of all denominations.
Users can also top up or recharge or add value to existing e-dirham cards with no limit at these machines by paying the amount into the machine. Four different denominations of e-dirham cards are dispensed by the hi-tech machine.
"It is an intelligent machine, it accepts coins, returns the change and completely monitors the transactions internally," Mutaz Zeidan, general manager, Smart Systems told Gulf News yesterday.
Smart Systems, the Abu Dhabi-based IT solutions provider, devised e-saraf for the Ministry of Finance and Industry. The company was also instrumental in devising the e-dirham cards.
"Right now, the machines have just been installed at the Ministry of Finance and Industry offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But soon they will be installed at all important offices and centres. The locations are being finalised but 40 machines are under distribution," said Zeidan.
The machine which can be operated in English and Arabic has been well-received since it was installed. "The respone has been very good because it is time saving and the public need not go to a bank to purchase e-dirham cards which are now widely used for making payments in almost all government related transactions," he said.
"Also, the balance in your e-dirham card can be known by inserting it in the machine and one can even change the PIN number of the card at the machine," he added.
E-dirham cards are widely used for paying visa fees, water and electricity bills, traffic fines and a variety of other payments. Smart Systems which has displayed the machine at the ongoing Safety and Security Middle East 2003 show has received several enquiries about the machine. Talks are on with prospective buyers from some of the Gulf states.
Intelligent machine* The e-dirham vending machines accept UAE banknotes of all denominations.
* Users can also top up or recharge or add value to existing e-dirham cards with no limit at these machines by paying the amount into the machine.
* The machine accepts coins, returns the change and completely monitors the transactions.
* It can be operated both in English and Arabic.
* The balance in your e-dirham card can be known by inserting it in the machine and one can even change the PIN number of the card at the machine.
Gulf News
