National helpline all set to answer commute concerns

Don’t know which metro to catch to the airport? You will soon be able to access the info using your phone.

Don’t know which metro to catch to the airport?

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You will soon be able to access the info using your phone.

A transport helpline, to be launched soon, has been developed to provide information on public transport — like the route number of a particular bus or a metro link, fares, their time of arrival and the frequency of service, etc.

To address the lack of public transport information, the Union Urban Development Ministry (UDM) is planning to set up the National Public Transport Helpline number and a call centre to make this information readily available to the public.

It will work on the lines of the railway helpline number. People can avail all kinds of information like railway passengers access the information about their ticket status using the railway helpline.

The ministry plans to launch the helpline in all States and Union Territories.

“We have already been allotted a helpline number (155220). We have written to all states and UTs to use this facility,” said M. Ramachandran, Union urban development Secretary.

“Other details are being worked out. We hope to complete the process soon and launch the helpline.”

The UDM has written to the Department of Telecommunication, which has allotted a nationwide short code of 155220 for the helpline, with unrestricted accessibility from all access service providers.

“We are advising states to integrate the various services on offer like the airport link bus service, inter city public transport information, ticket booking, etc,” a ministry official said.