Amritsar: Finally, BRTS resumes smart card facility for Metro bus passengers : The Tribune India

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Amritsar: Finally, BRTS resumes smart card facility for Metro bus passengers

Students and passengers stand in queues outside the ticket window of the Metro bus service in Amritsar on Thursday. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Tribune News Service

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, May 25

Finally, BRTS authorities have restarted issuing smart cards for hassle-free travel to the passengers of Metro bus service. The BRTS authorities have issued 7,000 cards to passengers during the last three days. The smart cards had not been issued for the last one and a half years as the state government had some dispute with the private firm which issued the cards.

In the absence of smart cards, passengers have to stand in long queues to get tickets every day. Moreover, the passengers get 20 per cent off for using the card. By travelling on daily ticket, they were not able to avail the benefit of concession. The BRTS authorities were also witnessing loss as it was tough to keep a check on the paper ticket, issued manually. With the use of smart cards, the misappropriation of funds would stop.

Currently, the Metro bus service witnesses around 37,000 ridership daily. Out of this, around 20,000 passengers use this service daily. Around 8,000 college and school students use the service. The BRTS authorities started issuing smart card since Monday. They are charging Rs 150 for the card in which the passenger get Rs 50 for travel. One can recharge it by paying a minimum of Rs 50.

The BRTS offers a 40 per cent concession on the college student card while the school students can travel free of cost. The students are not getting student smart card yet. “The student cards are also ready and the firm will start issuing it next week. Students can get smart cart by paying Rs 200 which would be valid for one year. We are also providing the facility to recharge the smart cards with digital mobile payment applications. The facility would be started soon once the BRTS signs an agreement with a mobile payment app,” said a BRTS official.

Navraj Singh, a student from Khalsa College, said, “The smart card is useful, but the BRTS authorities are not issuing it to students. We are forced to stand in queues to get paper tickets.”