Bengaluru to Become First City to Offer Cashless Intra-City Bus Travel
Published On Jun 16, 2016
Known as India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru is all set to become the first ever city in the country to launch cashless intra-city bus travel. Bengaluru Metropolitan Transportation Corporation (BMTC) has tied up with leading private sector player Axis Bank to provide smart cards to the commuters which can also be used for shopping and dining too.
The card is accepted at over 1.2 million merchant outlets in the country. Passengers can travel cashless and just need to tap on the Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) while traveling in BMTC buses. The card will be called Axis Bank BMTC Smart Card. This card service was launched by Mr. Ramalinga Reddy, Minister of Transport, who inaugurated the scheme with an INR 5000 top up to his card. The general population will be able to use this service from the month of September, a final deadline which has been delayed by 3 months.
At an event for launching these smart cards, Mr. Reddy said, “The aim of technology should be to make life simpler for the citizen. Technology that aids in bringing about transparency and convenience is a welcome step and hence this is an important milestone for BMTC and Axis bank and they should endeavor to make the entire experience simple and hassle free for the commuter.”
Axis bank has chosen National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) as the sole payment operator for all the services accessible through this card. To recharge, commuters can reach out to BMTC pass counters, Traffic and Transit Management Centers (TTMC), Axis Bank ATMs, online or even approach bus conductors. Also present at the launch was Mr. Rajiv Anand, Executive Director, Axis Bank, who said, “We are very happy to announce India's first Open loop - single wallet EMV Contactless Transit Card, which allows the customers to utilise the balance for transit as well as retail purchases like shopping and dining.”
