CHENNAI: Passengers will no longer be able to reserve tickets on SETC and TNSTC buses through private ticket booking portals or mobile apps. Booking for travelling on government buses can only be done through www.tnstc.in or TNSTC mobile app hereafter.
Transport department officials attributed the decision to the Union government imposing five per cent GST on the transactions through mobile applications used for commercial activities. However, the move will help the transport corporations save a few lakhs, which were paid to private portals for facilitating bookings.
"The private portals have to collect 5 per cent GST for the tickets booked through its mobile apps and settle the tax amount to the Union government on a monthly basis. If they fail to do so, we will be answerable," said a senior official from the SETC.
Online ticket booking facility for government buses was introduced in 2011 and on average 5,000 to 6,000 tickets were booked a day for a few years. From 2016-17 onwards, online ticket booking went up, touching 12,500 per day.
Owing to a huge demand for tickets during festival seasons, in 2018-19, the transport department extended the booking facility via private booking apps to increase the patronage. The private portals provided offers such as "zero" cancellation fee till the departure of the bus and cashback to attract commuters. It also introduced a dynamic pricing system depending on the demand for tickets. As a result, ticket bookings went up by 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
In February 2020, the transport department developed, 'TNSTC mobile app' to book tickets. The official said, "We tied up with private portals when we didn't have a mobile app. Now that the bookings have reached 25,000 a day, we no longer need the support of private portals."
However, officials remained tight-lipped on the commission paid to private portals. In the meantime, facilities such as identification of seats and women-only seats were also introduced to the TNS TC portal and app on par with the private portals, added the official.
Transport undertakings collect 10 per cent of fare towards cancellation if the ticket is cancelled 48 hours before the scheduled departure, 20 per cent for cancelling ticket between 24 hours and 48 hours and 25 per cent for cancelling between 60 minutes and 24 hours.
S Rajavel, a regular commuter, said, "Government buses still demand a printed copy of the ticket during travel. That practise should be ended at the earliest."