The QR code Metro ticketing system in Bengaluru, the tech capital of India, is gaining popularity as monthly users have surpassed the 25-lakh mark for the first time, in just a little a year from when the service was first offered.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) records show a consistent rise in QR code users (see graphic), going from 2.13 lakh at its launch in November 2022 to 5 lakh in January 2023, 10 lakh in June 2023 and 25.9 lakh in December 2023.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) records show a consistent rise in QR code users (see graphic below), going from 2.13 lakh at its launch in November 2022 to 5 lakh in January 2023, 10 lakh in June 2023 and 25.9 lakh in December 2023.
In October 2023, Bengaluru's entire 43-km Purple Line, connecting Whitefield in the east to Challaghatta in the west, was opened for passenger services. This also contributed to an increase in the Metro's daily ridership, as well as the adoption of QR-code services.
BMRCL's QR code ticketing allows passengers to obtain single-trip tickets through WhatsApp, the Namma Metro mobile app, Paytm and Amazon, among others.
According to WhatsApp, a platform owned by Meta, it is the first ever QR ticketing service on its app. Bhagya, a WhatsApp chatbot (+91 8105556677) available in English and Kannada, assists passengers also in recharging their smart cards and provides information on transit timetables and fare tables, among other services.
While Namma Metro's daily ridership is around 7 lakh, the majority of passengers still use closed-loop smart cards introduced by BMRCL in 2011. The latest numbers from BMRCL show that 51 percent of daily passengers use smart cards, followed by tokens (34 percent) and QR codes (15 percent).
For smart card recharging, most users rely on ticket counters at stations (71.6 percent), followed by the Namma Metro app (13.28 percent), Paytm (8 percent), WhatsApp (3.25 percent), Amazon (2.23 percent), and the BMRCL website (1.6 percent).
In an earlier breakdown of ridership patterns, 60 percent of passengers used smart cards, while the remaining 40 percent used tokens. This indicates a significant shift from smart cards to QR codes.
AS Shankar, executive director of BMRCL (operations and maintenance), told Moneycontrol: "BMRCL was the first transit service globally to launch the QR ticketing service on WhatsApp. Now, other metro agencies have also implemented it. We are hoping that the number of QR code users in Bengaluru will increase with proper awareness. We aim to facilitate 100 percent contactless travel for metro passengers by discouraging them from standing in queues at counters."
Ranjitha S, a tech professional and regular metro user, welcomed QR-code ticketing. "QR codes are very convenient because I often misplace my metro smart card, losing the deposited money that is non-refundable. Now, my mobile is my ticket, and I only need to pay the fare without maintaining a minimum balance," she said. She added that mobile QR tickets can be purchased in advance, eliminating the need to stand in queues at ticket counters for token purchases.
QR tickets can be bought on the BMRCL app/WhatsApp or other digital payment apps by entering the entry and destination stations on the day of the journey. They must be flashed at the readers of the automated fare collection gates at stations. If a passenger doesn't undertake the journey on the same day, they can cancel the ticket, and a refund will be issued.
In November 2023, BMRCL introduced QR group tickets for a maximum of six passengers. BMRCL also offers a 5 percent discount on the fare for customers using smart cards and QR-based tickets over those using tokens.
Bengaluru has always led the way in digital adoption. According to a survey by Worldline, a French payment and transactional services organisation, Bengaluru topped the list of Indian cities in terms of digital transactions in 2022, with 29 million transactions totalling Rs 6,500 crore. It was followed by Delhi, which had 19.6 million transactions worth Rs 5,000 crore, Mumbai with 18.7 million transactions for Rs 4,950 crore. Pune with 15 million digital transactions worth Rs 3,280 crore, and Chennai at fifth spot with 14.3 million transactions totalling Rs 3,550 crore.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru's National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), also known as ‘One Nation, One Card, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25, 2023, has received a tepid response so far. BMRCL, in collaboration with RBL Bank, has been issuing the cards to metro commuters since March 2023. Users may have to wait a little longer before they can use NCMC in Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses.
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Shankar said that they are issuing an average of 200 NCMC cards per day. "However, integration with BMTC buses is still pending, and once completed, the number will also increase," he said.
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