BMTC is planning to introduce new ticketing machines that support payments through UPI and the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).
Story so far: The NCMC, which functions as a digital wallet, enables users to pay for various forms of transportation as well as related services like parking and bike rental. Despite being introduced in 2019, the system failed to take off due to a lack of the required infrastructure.
- By the end of December, BMTC will have adopted 8,000 new ETMs that support electronic payments.
- The BMTC operates 6,200 buses each day, making 50,000 journeys across the city, generating a daily revenue of ₹3.56 crore, almost entirely in cash.
One card for bus & metro: The ETMs are being rented by the BMTC from Noida-based Pine Labs. The offline sale of tickets will be made possible by an internal programme that contains stops, stages, and designated fares. Through on-the-air updates, the functionalities for UPI and NCMC payments will be made available.