BMTC to roll out smart cards in January

From next year, hopping from one bus to another, or from a bus to a metro, might not be an ordeal of change and cards.

The BMTC hopes to launch its smart cards to allow for cashless, seamless travel for bus passengers from January.

Ekroop Caur, managing director of BMTC, said the trial runs will be done by the year-end, while the rollout is expected in January. “This can, in fact, be used for non-transport expenses as well as in metro stations,” she said during a workshop on Thursday that saw participation of several State transport undertakings deliberating on ways to modernise the bus systems.

The cards can be tapped on the newly acquired electronic ticketing machines for contactless cash transfer.

While talks were on with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., officials admit to “issues” in integrating the proposed card and the existing metro cards.

“There needs to be software integration, which can be worked on after the trials are done,” said U.A. Vasanth Rao, chief public relations officer, BMRCL.

‘Reduce taxes on BMTC’

Meanwhile, M. Nagaraju, chairman, BMTC, said he would write to the government to reduce the tax burden on the BMTC which was keeping it from lowering fares. According to officials, the BMTC pays Rs. 120 crore just in motor vehicle taxes.