KSRTC smart card initiative

Mangaluru: The country’s number one transport institution, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is planning to go smart. It has decided to provide smart cards to its passengers and thus make its service ticket free. Later, the passenger only need swipe their smart card for the ticket instead of paying with money.

If everything goes as per plans, this system will be put into effect from next year. Nowadays, the use of bogus bus pass has increased and the introduction of smart cards will help in controlling this illegal activity.

The BMTC bus and metro railways at Bengaluru are presently becoming smart. KSRTC observed this change and decided two years back to introduce this system within its network. This initiative which fell on the backburner due to various reasons has now come to life again.

Currently, there are 8,680 buses at 16 branches of the 83 depots of KSRTC divisions. Daily, close to 28.20 lakh passengers travel on these buses throughout the state. The daily income earned is 809.43 lakh rupees.

Experimental system

 Initially, the smart card will be distributed amongst students. Presently, the students make use of manual pass. Close to 11,500 students take advantage of the bus pass in Mangaluru and Udupi division.

What is this smart card facility?

Smartcard usage gives the opportunity to travel cash-free. This is completely digital. The institution first takes money from the passengers and provides them with a smart card. Later, the passengers only need top-up recharge their smart cards. Currently all KSRTC conductors carry electronic ticketing machine (ETM) and post the introduction of smart cards, the cards need to be swiped on the ETM’s itself. On swiping the smart card, the amount is deducted from the passenger’s card. The smart card provided to the students will present information including their name, class, school/college name, bus pass number and other information.

“There is a proposal to introduce smart card facility in KSRTC. Presently, this system is going to be introduced in BMTC buses in Bengaluru post which a discussion will be held on its advantages to its users. Later, action will be taken to introduce this system in KSRTC buses,” said Umashankar, KSRTC Managing Director.

“From the past two years, there have been thoughts on introducing smart card system for the passengers in KSRTC. If this system is introduced, the passengers can make use of cash free travel,” said  Deepak Kumar, Divisional Officer of KSRTC Mangaluru.