Mangalore: Computerised tickets for east zone bus routes

TNN

Mangalore, 24 October 2010: Bus passengers commuting on the east zone bus routes operated by Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators Association can look forward to receiving a computerised bus ticket in their hands from Monday. This is the result of an initiative taken by the East Zone Bus Owner’s Federation, Mangalore, who have procured 108 ticketing machines to be used in as many buses from Mumbai-based Powercraft Electronics Private Ltd.

 

File Picture

 

The east zone routes are covered mostly by service buses that cover rural and mofussil areas and to some extent by city bus services that operate towards Thokkottu, Konaje, Mudipu, Manjanady, Vittla, and B C Road. Sheshappa Shetty, president of the federation told reporters here that the attempt to introduce ticketing machines is to give value added service to passengers on the route and foster better relationship with them.

 

Admitting that the behaviour of some of the bus crew, especially conductors, with the travelling public borders on the boorish, Sheshappa said the owners have undertaken conscious efforts to bring about a change in their behaviour for the better. Issuing tickets to the travelling public, tendering exact change and treating them with courtesy is also part of the overall effort at giving value added service by the bus owners, he explained.

 

Aziz Parthipady, general secretary of the DKBOA said the association would closely watch the results of this move by the federation, which consists of members affiliated to it, before introducing such machines on all the 300-odd city buses operating in Mangalore taluk. The association has plans to introduce such new technology on buses, which leaves little scope for the crew to manipulate the collection or cheat the public, he said.

 

The association has plans to set up checking squads to ensure that people too discharge their responsibility of obtaining a ticket validating their travel in the city transport system, he noted. Sheshappa said A S Rao, superintendent of police, DK rural police district would inaugurate the ticketing machine service. Seva Naik, RTO, P Bhaskar Salian, president, DKBOA and office bearers of the federation and association would attend.