Bangalore: If things go as planned, commuters using BMTC services could use smart cards in six months, instead of tickets and passes.
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation managing director Anjum Parvez told Deccan Chronicle, “The tendering process for the smart card project has been completed and Axis Bank has been selected.”
Smart cards will certainly be a great relief to passengers and conductors, who often fight over small change. Parvez said the smart cards would largely help middle and high-income groups.
“I am sure that this project will be successful. There is a large number of middle and high income groups of people, who find these smart cards easier to use. Besides, there are some frequent but not regular bus travelers and it will come in handy for them,” he said.
The project includes providing smart cards, ticket vending machines, ticket value machines, top-up channels and e-payment services at bus stations. There will be two types of smart cards — a rechargeable card that passengers can top-up when they travel, and a card that is valid for a month. The minimum recharge will be '40 and each card will bear the passenger’s photo and address.
Commuters with smart cards will be asked to swipe the card instead of buying tickets. Once the commuter authenticates his card and enters the destination code, the specified fare is deducted from the card.
Traffic expert M.N. Sreehari said, “It will not only save a lot of time for the conductors, but will also bring down corruption among lower level staff. Besides, it is a modern way of handling activities. As of now, the cards will be applicable for BMTC buses only, but later it can be combined with Metro services.”
The proposal to introduce smart cards has been on since 2006. The BMTC was working on introducing smart cards compatible with other modes of public transport as part of automated fare collection system.
