Responding to public demand, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will soon allow one mobile QR ticket to accommodate multiple people in its QR ticketing system, benefiting families and groups. At present, a QR ticket permits only one passenger to pass through.
Introduced a year ago in November 2022, QR code ticketing enables passengers to buy one-way transit tickets via WhatsApp and the Namma Metro mobile app.
One QR code for multiple people
Speaking to The Hindu, a senior BMRCL official said, “Very soon, we are launching a mobile QR ticketing system which will allow more than one person to use the same QR code to be tapped at the automatic fare collection (AFC) gates to travel in the metro.”
“For instance, if someone needs to purchase four tickets through the app, the system will generate a QR code. To enter, the person should tap the QR code at the AFC gates. Each person’s entry requires a separate tap, so the person should tap four times for the entry of each person,” the official explained.
BMRCL is currently working on developing a system along with the app provider to generate QR codes that can facilitate the entry of multiple people at AFC gates. The passengers were demanding such an initiative by the BMRCL from the day the QR code ticketing was launched in the Bengaluru metro which will help people travelling in groups.
Mahesh Kumar, a metro passenger who uses QR code tickets, said, “I’ve been eagerly waiting for this initiative. Whenever I travel with my family, it was hard for me to buy QR code tickets for each one of us and end up buying token tickets. Now, it will be much more convenient for us to use QR codes. This should have been implemented earlier.”
At present, passengers can choose from various ticketing options, including tokens, day passes, smart cards, mobile QR tickets, and group tickets. BMRCL provides a 5% discount on the fare for customers using smart cards and QR-based tickets over the token ticket fare.
Namma Metro operations in the city completed 12 years on October 20. According to a BMRCL newsletter issued in September, 56.04% of commuters used smart cards, 43.91% used tokens for travelling and 00.05% used group tickets to commute in the metro in August.
Need for unified ticketing system
Meanwhile, commuters who depend on public transport are urging BMRCL and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to establish a unified ticketing system, enabling seamless travel on both metro and city buses. While BMTC had previously announced a QR-based ticketing system through its app, it has been delaying the implementation due to several issues.
Praseetha Rao, a commuter who uses both the metro and BMTC buses, said, “It’s unfortunate that BMRCL and BMTC haven’t implemented a unified system allowing people to use a single ticketing platform for both modes of transport. Having a single smart card or mobile app would greatly benefit commuters.”
In 2011, when the metro service was launched in the city, BMRCL and BMTC introduced a joint paper ticket enabling passengers to use both metro and city buses. However, this initiative was discontinued a few months later due to poor patronage.
Meanwhile, the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) introduced by BMRCL in March this year has received limited response, with only approximately 5,000 people purchasing the card until August. BMRCL officials noted that most metro travellers prefer Namma Metro smart cards, suggesting a shift to NCMC can only occur when BMTC and other transport services also implement its usage.
