An ambitious plan to introduce home-delivered smart cards for students has run into problems, with thousands of students making their way to Kempegowda Bus Stand to get their bus passes.
For the first time, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) had introduced an online application system to issue smart cards for subsidised travel, which would then be delivered home.
However, of the over 3 lakh applications received, around 70,000 applications could not be processed. BMTC officials claimed this was because students did not complete all the requisites, including details (college email ID, phone numbers) or did not upload passport-size photos.
Now, these students are being made to queue up in the old-fashioned way at 15 counters set up in the bus stand.
“The previous system of issuing smart cards at major bus stands was good... Thousands of people coming to Majestic to get a pass shows that the new system is being introduced in haste,” said Srilatha, a college student.
For Vaishnavi G., Monday was the second such visit to the bus stand to get a card. “I had come on Saturday to get the pass, but we were told to come on Monday. I have come all the way from Banashankari. BMTC should have made the arrangements at bus stations which are close to our home or college. We are spending a whole day to collect the pass," she said.
Officials have defended the system, stating that a majority of the applications were not processed because of issues with photos. “Some students uploaded photos they had taken with family members, celebrities and some even uploaded full-size photos,” said an official.
A large number of students had applied multiple times, perhaps by mistake, after which the system did not accept their application.
BMTC says nearly 3,500 passes are issued daily in the 15 counters. To clear the rush at Majestic bus stand, BMTC is planning to open counters at two other major bus stands in the city — Shantinagar and Shivajinagar, said Chief Traffic Manager (operations) of BMTC K.R. Vishwanath. “We have had no issues with students studying till PUC as their database was readily available. There is only an issue with students in degree and professional education institutes, as they have to come forward to apply and we can’t issue the passes through colleges,” he said.
