Priority pass(ed): BEST’s digital ticketing scheme fails to fly

Bus stations and depots witnessed only a single line for passengers, with both regular travellers and those holding the digital cards scrambling to board the buses first. The transport utility has been promoting the launch of this initiative over the past few weeks – notices declaring first preference for those with Chalo Card/App pasted on various depots

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport’s (BEST) drive towards digital-first came a cropper on Wednesday, when commuters using its much-advertised Chalo Card and Chalo App were unable to board buses on priority – a promise made to them earlier.

We didn’t implement the system today as it becomes difficult to manage so many people who are waiting to board,” said a BEST staff standing outside Dadar East railway station, the origin of routes to KEM Hospital, Wadala, Matunga, Parel and more. Long queues were seen, with conductors issuing tickets without prioritising passengers. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

Bus stations and depots witnessed only a single line for passengers, with both regular travellers and those holding the digital cards scrambling to board the buses first. The transport utility has been promoting the launch of this initiative over the past few weeks – notices declaring first preference for those with Chalo Card/App pasted on various depots.

According to BEST sources, while the day started well, with separate lines for the travellers, by the afternoon bus conductors across the city issued tickets to whoever came first – everyone was herded in a single queue.

“We didn’t implement the system today as it becomes difficult to manage so many people who are waiting to board,” said a BEST staff standing outside Dadar East railway station, the origin of routes to KEM Hospital, Wadala, Matunga, Parel and more. Long queues were seen, with conductors issuing tickets without prioritising passengers.

“There were senior citizens, families with children and other commuters waiting in the queue. We did not want them to be inconvenienced unnecessarily just because they could did not produce an app or a card,” said another member of the staff at a south Mumbai bus station.

Another BEST official however said, “There were indeed places where passengers holding the card and app were given priority to board the buses. We will have to check if gradually during the day, this initiative lost steam.”

BEST administration claimed that there has been an increase in the number commuters moving towards e-tickets. “As per latest figures, on a daily average, more than four lakh passengers use the Chalo Card and 1.20 lakh use the Chalo App for buying bus tickets. In total, over 40 lakh people have downloaded Chalo App and over 6.41 lakh have bought the Chalo Card,” said another BEST official.

Everyday there are 35 lakh-odd commuters travelling in BEST buses on 405 routes through a fleet of nearly 2900-odd buses. Out of the 400 CNG buses that were taken off the road, more than 10 have joined the fleet again.

“Ideally, the administration should have started this on a pilot basis on select routes where Chalo Card and Chalo App are popular. Ground staff are flooded with complaints from commuters who are not being given the opportunity to board on priority,” said Sunil Ganacharya, former BEST committee member and union leader.

“I was standing at the start of the queue and I found people who came much later boarding the bus before me. When asked, the conductors told us about this initiative. They should not have done it during peak hours,” said Chetan Patil, a resident of Borivali.