BEST may soon start smart card ticket system to shed old-fashioned imagery

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is gearing up to shift to a one-card system instead of their staff members manually giving paper tickets to the commuters on boarding the bus. Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde, general manager, BEST, said that the BEST is changing the hand-held devices to Smart Electronic Ticket Issuing Machine (SETIM). Currently, there are 9,500 hand-held machines that are used by the conductors to issue tickets to passengers. Of these, around 4,000 are in a need to be replaced. BEST is thus, planning to usher in a new age technology altogether.

Mr Bagde said, “Of the 9,500 hand-held devices currently in use, around 4,000 need to be replaced and so we are considering that instead of replacing these, we will directly get a new system, which is be smart card oriented.” The system will not only accept a smart card but also debit cards, which will make it easy for the commuters to pay for the ticket by swiping their cards, he added.

Back in 2008, the BEST had launched the Go-Mumbai card but the venture never took off due as the authorities faced various technical difficulties. According to Mr Bagde, the BEST needs to accept technology in order to keep itself relevant. He said, “If the undertaking does not accept technology and inculcate it as a part of its everyday operations, there is a risk of it becoming obsolete.”

The BEST has around 3, 500 buses in its fleet and keeps at least two devices for each bus as a back up.