Delhi buses to see smart card-based ticketing soon

New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) In a move towards digitising fare collection and reducing paper pass usage, DTC is set to implement a smart card-based ticketing project within a month here, officials said.

The initiative will enable passengers to pay fares using contactless smart cards, mobile payments, QR codes, debit and credit cards, and the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh told PTI.

The project aims to offer seamless travel to commuters while reducing operational inefficiencies associated with paper-based systems, Singh said, adding that it is currently operational in Rajghat, Hasanpur, and Kalkaji depots.

Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), the agency implementing the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) will issue these contactless cards, with passengers paying a one-time fee of Rs 50.

The actual cost of issuing the card is Rs 71, which the DIMTS will partially bear, an official said, further informing that each pass renewal will cost Rs 14.

The board has approved the implementation of 5,700 Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs). The devices will be used by conductors to issue tickets via digital payment options, making the process faster, more transparent and user-friendly.

The initiative is expected to help the government financially, as the service charges paid to DIMTS on ticketed revenue will be reduced from the current 1 per cent to 0.75 per cent, without any minimum revenue guarantee, a Delhi Transport official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The Transport Department has also requested DIMTS to take over the cost of implementation and manpower required for the project, he said. Reducing these costs would also lower the price of the ticket. PTI NSM MPL HIG