Noida: In two weeks, NMRC records 1,000 e-wallet payment for bus tickets

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation, through its e-wallet facility initiated around two weeks ago, has received payments from over 1,000 commuters for bus tickets.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation, through its e-wallet facility initiated around two weeks ago, has received payments from over 1,000 commuters for bus tickets.

The service has been initiated in collaboration with popular e-wallet company Paytm. Inside the buses, placards and stickers of e-wallet company have been put up with a phone number. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The service has been initiated in collaboration with popular e-wallet company Paytm. Inside the buses, placards and stickers of e-wallet company have been put up with a phone number, to which the payment is to be made. Official said the move will make the ticketing process easy.

Officials say that most people who have used the e-wallet facility are from the urban part of Noida.

The move came after NMRC received suggestions from various corners that there should be e-wallet mode of payment. Moreover, the bus attendants were also facing problems of providing change, post demonetisation.

The fare of city bus services ranges from ₹10 to ₹50 but problems arise when a commuter chooses to pay using a ₹500 or ₹2,000 note.

An officer on special duty (OSD), NMRC, Sandeep Raizada, said, “In a day, we receive 10%-15% of the total collection through the e-wallet. Cashless transactions post demonetisation are on the rise, which is why we introduced it. The bus conductor’s phone number is given on the card and he ensures that the payment is done when a commuter avails the e-wallet facility. Stickers have also been pasted inside the buses, explaining the payment process.”

The daily collection through e-wallet facility is transferred to the NMRC at the end of each working day. Officials said that they expect e-wallet payments to increase. Commuters who are not versed with the facility also frequently make enquiries from attendants.

“It’s a good initiative taken by NMRC to make payment easy. In a satellite town such as Noida, people are fast moving towards cashless transactions. It will ensure a comfortable commute,” Anirudh Manchanda, a commuter, said.