The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has reported a significant drop in the sales of day passes, after it was made mandatory to show identity card (ID) at the time of commute, along with the pass. This has resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 56.18 crore in 2015-16.
The BMTC had introduced identification card, which costs Rs 25 with one-year validity and Rs 100 with three-year validity. For commuters who have ID card, the corporation charged Rs 65 for the day pass. For those without ID card, the day pass cost was Rs 70.
Later, a vigilance team headed by retired police officer reported that there was gross misuse in the day pass system. The report said that commuters were found to transfer passes to others and also changing the day and date mentioned in the passes.
Producing documents
Keeping this in mind, the corporation made producing documents such as Aadhaar card, driving licence and voter's ID mandatory to purchase a day pass of Rs 70.
However, the decision had an adverse affect on the sales of day passes, slipping down from 2.79 crore (2014-2015) to 1.98 crore in 2015-16. The decrease of 81,15,975 day passes resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 56.81 crore. The decline came to the fore through a Right to Information query by N Srinivas.
On an average, the corporation records a revenue of Rs 3.75 crore every day from transport operations, from its fleet of 6,123 buses and from an average 73,521 daily trips. Srinivas said the BMTC should relax the rule, keeping in mind passengers who come to the city from far away places and prefer to buy a day pass.
The BMTC had introduced identification card, which costs Rs 25 with one-year validity and Rs 100 with three-year validity. For commuters who have ID card, the corporation charged Rs 65 for the day pass. For those without ID card, the day pass cost was Rs 70.
Later, a vigilance team headed by retired police officer reported that there was gross misuse in the day pass system. The report said that commuters were found to transfer passes to others and also changing the day and date mentioned in the passes.
Producing documents
Keeping this in mind, the corporation made producing documents such as Aadhaar card, driving licence and voter's ID mandatory to purchase a day pass of Rs 70.
However, the decision had an adverse affect on the sales of day passes, slipping down from 2.79 crore (2014-2015) to 1.98 crore in 2015-16. The decrease of 81,15,975 day passes resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 56.81 crore. The decline came to the fore through a Right to Information query by N Srinivas.
On an average, the corporation records a revenue of Rs 3.75 crore every day from transport operations, from its fleet of 6,123 buses and from an average 73,521 daily trips. Srinivas said the BMTC should relax the rule, keeping in mind passengers who come to the city from far away places and prefer to buy a day pass.