The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) experiment to have a single smart card by introducing integrated ticketing system (ITS) for different modes of transport like city buses,
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) experiment to have a single smart card by introducing integrated ticketing system (ITS) for different modes of transport like city buses, suburban railways, metro rail and monorail, auto and taxi, has failed. The MMRDA has scrapped the bidding process to appoint project management consultant (PMC) for the project as the authority had received only one bid for it.
The MMRDA had in December 2015 invited bids for the process, after which the bids were extended almost three to four times as the MMRDA was reviewing the scope of the consultancy in the light of the initiative by the ministry of urban development on having a National Common Mobility Card.
In a circular dated July 5, 2016, the MMRDA said, “The bidding for the technical assistance and acting as the project management consultant for integrated ticketing system in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have been cancelled due to poor response. The MMRDA will call proposals afresh shortly.”
The discussions were held in December 2015, regarding the single-ticket system under the Unified Mumbai Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMMTA) and accordingly, a draft request for proposal (RPF) was prepared for the same.
The objective of appointing consultants was that they could guide the MMRDA to deal with various agencies with whom the MMRDA would have to coordinate. “It will involve agencies like the suburban railways, Metro rail authorities, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, Thane and Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport. It will be challenging to develop and monitor software like this,” said an official.
