Welcoming a new age technology, BEST soon to come up with ‘one card system’

NewsBharati    16-Oct-2017
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Mumbai, October 16: Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) soon to come up with a ‘one card system’ instead of manually giving paper tickets to the commuters. BEST too going smart now!

Surendrakumar Bagde, General Manager, BEST, said that the BEST is changing the hand-held devices to Smart Electronic Ticket Issuing Machine (SETIM). Currently, there are 9,500 hand-held machines that are used by the conductors to issue tickets to passengers. Of these, around 4,000 are in a need to be replaced. BEST is thus, planning to usher in a new age technology altogether.

The system will not only accept a smart card but also debit cards, which will make it easy for the commuters to pay for the ticket by swiping their cards, he added.

Back in 2008, the BEST had launched the Go-Mumbai card but the venture never took off due as the authorities faced various technical difficulties. According to Bagde, the BEST needs to accept technology in order to keep itself relevant. He said, “If the undertaking does not accept technology and inculcate it as a part of its everyday operations, there is a risk of it becoming obsolete.”