BENGALURU: Buoyed by the success of the single journey Quick Response (QR) tickets launched on Namma Metro’s app and WhatsApp, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will soon permit multiple commuters to travel using one ticket, said BMRCL officials. A maximum of six commuters will be allowed.
This is being done to ensure that those travelling as a group, particularly families, can scan just a single ticket on one mobile at the QR Reader installed at the Automatic Fare Collection gates.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Chief Public Relations Officer and Chief Engineer of Depots at BMRCL, B L Yashavanth Chavan, said, “Trial runs are presently on in this connection. We will continue the testing for a few more weeks. The multiple travel ticket could be launched by January 15.” This move will save the time of all involved, he added.
The QR ticketing system launched on November 1 has had a terrific response in such a short time, he added. “On the day of the launch, we had nearly 1,800 commuters making use of a QR ticket. On November 20, the number of QR tickets purchased were 12, 787,” he said.
A total of 1,35,564 QR tickets have been used for travel until now, Chavan said. “The general feedback is that public are quite happy with it. We have not received any complaints or encountered any major glitches so far,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Metro’s ridership is soaring. Ridership figures from November 14 to November 19 have crossed 5.44 lakh daily marking a clear surge in commuters. “We are already improving on pre-Covid levels and it is only set to increase in future. On Saturday (November 19), we clocked 6,06,272 rides,” the CPRO said.
TESTING ON BAIYAPPANAHALLI-WHITEFIELD LINE
The ongoing Testing and Commissioning on the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield Line of Phase-2 have been covered between Whitefield and Garudacharpalya stations, said a senior Metro official. “Singalling tests are presently on. They will be followed by static tests and then the dynamic tests involving trains. The next run involving a train will be January 12,” he said.