BMRCL to kick off QR ticketing system today

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is set to launch its app which will allow a QR ticketing system starting today. The initiative is said to accommodate the needs of passengers who wish to travel without a smart card or a token.

Now, commuters will be able to purchase tickets on the mobile app by selecting a particular origin and destination point. The code displayed on the app can be tapped at the AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gate and the commute can move to their respective platforms.

This system will ensure there are no long queues lined up for token or for topping up of smart cards. All the AFC gates have now been upgraded in all the metro stations. The plan was made in 2018, but was delayed due to the pandemic.

BMRCL had also planned to launch the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), popularly known as One Nation, One Card but its launch has been postponed. While commuters have welcomed the move, they have demanded that the BMRCL and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) come up with a common ticketing system as it will help those who travel by metro and use the bus for last-mile connectivity.

When the metro was launched in 2011, both the corporations had allowed commuters to travel in both metro and the city buses with a common paper ticket. However, soon after a few months, the service was discontinued due to poor patronage.

“An app to ease queue rush for single tickets? What a waste of taxpayers' money. More urgent is an app with a map and timings of metro trains and buses and a single smart card or ticketing system for both,” said Rohini Mohan, a writer.

Commuters also called for increased bus routes to ensure last-mile connectivity and swift work in completion of the pending metro phases. Currently, the BMRCL has a network of 55 km, which is operational, while the BMTC has a fleet of 6,800 buses and operates 52,300 trips a day.

Tickets through WhatsApp WhatsApp and BMRCL announced a partnership to launch Namma Metro's WhatsApp chatbot-based QR ticketing service.

The chatbot is integrated with Unified Payments Interface (UPI) powered payments on WhatsApp and will allow 'Namma Metro' commuters to purchase tickets and recharge their travel pass right within WhatsApp. BMRCL claimed it is the first transit service globally to enable end-to-end QR ticketing on WhatsApp.

The corporation said its WhatsApp chatbot is available in English and Kannada for all commuters. To use the service, commuters need to simply send ‘Hi' to BMRCL's official WhatsApp chatbot number +9181055 56677 and choose from the various options such as recharging metro travel pass and purchasing single journey tickets using payments on WhatsApp.

"The process of making the payment is a seamless experience that gives users the option to pay without leaving the WhatsApp chat interface. After choosing their travel details, users are given the option to pay using payments on WhatsApp by authenticating the transaction using their UPI pin," the BMRCL said. It said the interface makes the user experience easy and interactive, adding that commuters can plan their transit on-the-go and make payments without leaving the WhatsApp chat.