BANGALORE (Metro Rail News): The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is planning to integrate with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), which will enable Namma Metro passengers to soon book tickets through a range of popular mobility apps.
The ONDC platform’s collaboration with over ten mobility applications will offer commuters the flexibility to select their preferred application for comprehensive trip bookings.
This initiative will enhance last-mile connectivity, empowering commuters to plan and pay for their entire journey, whether utilising an auto-rickshaw, boarding a BMTC bus, or riding the metro within a single application, such as Tummoc, Rapido, among others. The objective is to provide a seamless, door-to-door travel experience, thereby mitigating the challenges associated with navigating multiple platforms.
This project is a part of a broader strategy aimed at integrating public transportation, facilitating easier connections across various segments of a journey. Commuters will soon be able to purchase metro tickets, recharge smart cards, and obtain bus passes through a unified digital platform.
BMRCL has already initiated progress in this direction by partnering with a private technology company to enable metro ticketing via multiple applications.
Additional measures include the implementation of QR code-based ticketing through WhatsApp, launched in 2022, and collaborations with Paytm and Amazon Pay for smart card top-ups and mobile ticketing. However, these solutions had previously failed to address first and last-mile transport requirements. This digital transformation is anticipated to promote public transportation usage by reducing wait times and enhancing accessibility.
