QR-code ticketing becomes popular with Metro users

Bengaluru: 2.1 lakh passengers used Namma Metro's QR-code ticketing system in November, a sign of its rising popularity. From an average of 3,167 daily passengers in the first week of November, according to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), the number rose to 6,365 in the second, 9,070 in the third, and 10,100 in the fourth. The facility was initiated on November 1.

58.5% of all QR-code tickets were purchased via WhatsApp, while 41.4% were purchased using the app. One of the metro users said "Ticketing with QR codes is practical. We must keep a balance of Rs 50 for smart card-based travel, and there are lengthy lines for tokens and card recharging. Even if we forget the smart card, this is convenient and saves time. This should be integrated with BMTC by BMRCL.

In November, 1.4 lakh passengers used the QR-code facility to recharge their smart cards, of which 1.2 lakh did so using the app and 19,750 did so via WhatsApp. In the Metro, 5.2 lakh people travel daily on average, and about 58% of them use smart cards. The majority of passengers continue to favour station counters over other recharge options: 55% of passengers recharged at counters, compared to 24% who used an app, Paytm (9%), Amazon (5%), the BMRCL website (4%), and WhatsApp (3%). Group tickets and passes based on QR codes are being planned by BMRCL. In a short time, people travelling in groups of up to six will have access to the facility.

According to AS Shankar, executive director of BMRCL's operations and maintenance division, "We'll soon have an iOS version of the app. As of right now, iOS users can buy QR-code tickets through the WhatsApp chatbot."

The group QR-code tickets, according to him, would be good for up to six people. "The first passenger will need to use a mobile device to scan the QR code at the scanner at the automatic fare collection gates. Based on the purchase of a ticket, sensors will determine the number of passengers who can ride. Once those passengers have entered the system, the flap will close. By the middle of January, we intend to introduce it," he stated. Shankar noted that one, three, and five-day passes would also be made available through QR code.