e-checking in BMTC buses

e-checking in BMTC buses
Saturday October 6 2007 10:47 IST

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

BANGALORE: Next time you flash your ticket or pass before a ticket checking inspector, it will take a jiffy to get it verified. All that the official is required to do is swipe the card or pass on an electronic ticketing machine.

And, you are through! Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is shortly introducing e-checking squads. It followed issuing smart cards to students, a path breaking move by a metro bus in the country.

BMTC’s smart card contains a wealth of details of the card holder, and it rules out misuse. ‘‘It can tell whether a particular card is valid or not with just a swipe. At present we have issued the machine to 12 inspectors and they are using it from the past week on trial basis.

Once it is finalised, we will distribute to all 250 checking squads and 10,000 bus conductors,’’ the official told this paper. When contacted, BMTC Chief Traffic Manager (Operation) Dastagir Sheriff said that they have issued such smart cards for more than three lakh school and college students.

At present, smart cards are restricted to students only. But it will be extended to other segments later, he said.