BANGALORE (Metro rail News): Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) will roll out a QR ticketing system based on mobile apps from 1st November. The initiative will enable commuters to ride the metro without using tokens or smart cards.
BMRCL managing director Anjum Parwez stated that tests were being carried out to start the new ticketing system. “On the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava, the BMRCL will launch the QR ticketing system. The new system will provide more travel comfort for metro passengers,” said Mr. Parwez.
Metro commuters will be able to purchase single-trip tickets by selecting origin and destination points on the mobile app. To travel in the metro, simply scan the displayed QR code at the automatic fare collection (AFC) gates. With the new method, there won’t be any more waiting in queues to buy tokens or top-up smart cards. The AFC gates in every metro station have been upgraded to accommodate the new ticketing system.
The BMRCL had intended to implement the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and a QR ticketing system based on mobile apps before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Namma Metro operations in the city celebrated its 11th anniversary on October 20. 36% of commuters utilised tokens, compared to 64% who used smart cards, in September. Average daily ridership has already exceeded 5 lakh, and once the BMRCL begins operating the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line for profit, that number is sure to increase. Commercial operations are probably going to start by March of next year after the trial run which has already begun.
The city’s commuters who depend on public transportation are requesting that the BMRCL and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) establish a shared ticketing system that will enable them to ride both city buses and metro trains. The BMTC had previously made large promises regarding the introduction of a feature-rich mobile app that would enable users to follow bus arrival in real-time, a QR-based ticketing system, and others, but it is still buying time due to a number of obstacles.
A common paper ticket that enabled travel on both city buses and the metro was introduced by the BMRCL and the BMTC when the metro service was established in 2011. Common paper tickets were no longer issued after a few months due to low patronage.
In the city, the BMRCL has a network of 55 km of operational metro line and the BMTC has a fleet size of 6,800 buses and operates over 52,300 trips a day.
