Tribal youth sets up Rs 5-bike wash ATM in Odisha, attracts massive public attention

In a remarkable display of innovation and community-oriented thinking, a tribal youth from Brahmanipal in Keonjhar’s Harichandanpur block has become the talk of the region after installing an automated bike-wash machine that cleans an entire bike for just Rs 5. 

The unique initiative has drawn heavy public interest, with long queues of bike owners eager to try the ultra-cheap service.

The machine, installed on the roadside of the busy Brahmanipal market under Rasol panchayat, washes a two-wheeler in just 10 minutes. Users insert an Rs 5 coin into the system, which activates a pressure gun releasing high-force water to clean the vehicle. 

At a time when regular bike-wash centres charge between Rs 70 and Rs 80, this low-cost alternative has become a crowd-puller in the Adivasi-dominated region.

The creator behind this innovation is Jitendra Hembram, a young inventor from Brahmanipal. This is not his first technological experiment. In 2019, Jitendra gained recognition after developing a petrol ATM, which dispensed fuel when an Rs 100 note was inserted. The invention became crucial for motorists because there was no petrol pump within a 20-kilometre stretch along the Keonjhar–Jajpur border.

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Coming from a modest background, Jitendra is the third child of Kahnu Charan Hembram and Dumuni Hembram. Financial struggles forced him to discontinue studies after matriculation. To support his family, he took up electrical wiring work in a private company, but his interest in innovation traces back to his school days, where he participated in science exhibitions.

Speaking about his journey, Jitendra said he hopes to continue innovating if he receives financial support. His dream is to build a low-cost transportation mechanism that can help people travel affordably.

“I first built a mini-petrol pump. I spent eight months on it and slowly learnt many things from it. The idea of the bike-wash ATM had also come to me back then. Since it was a simple thing, I had not built it back then,” said an elated Jitendra.

“Ours is a mining area. There is no bike servicing facility here. Our brother had first built an Rs 100 petrol ATM. He had also innovated a scooter that could fly like a helicopter. His innovations and knowledge are a pride for our district. We are very happy for his new Rs 5 bike-wash ATM,” a local Srikumar Rout said.

The young innovator’s Rs 5 bike-wash ATM has not only become a convenience for locals but also a symbol of grassroots creativity and problem-solving emerging from remote communities.