Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

EXPLAINED: How Travel Will be Different in Mumbai’s Digital Bus?

The trials of the first bus in the city, to run from CSMT to NCPA, were completed on Monday.
April 20, 2022
Mumbai’s Digital Bus

After a successful trial run, Mumbai’s BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) will now be introducing 100 per cent digital ticketing on buses with the ‘Tap In Tap Out’ service by using Chalo smart cards and a mobile app from April 20. Mumbai will be the nation’s first city to get 100 percent digital buses with this facility.

The first digital bus service was flagged off by State Environment and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray near the Gateway of India on Wednesday.

According to the BEST authority, the trials were completed on April 18. “The digital ‘Tap In Tap Out’ facility has been introduced for the first time in any public bus transport service in India. As the ticketing service will be fully digital, the passengers need not keep change with them to pay for the ticket.”.

BEST plans that once the service is extended, 20 buses will eventually be digital-only. Gradually these buses will be introduced on office-going routes. BEST general manager, Lokesh Chandra said more buses will be introduced in the island city and suburbs.

The public could either use a smartcard or a mobile application, ‘Chalo’. If they are using the mobile app, they would have to flash it in front of the machine. The card or app will have to be flashed in front of the machine while boarding and de-boarding the bus. The person will be able to enter the bus, once a green tick appears. The fare will be automatically deducted from the app or the smart card once the person deboards the bus.

Notably, these buses will have ‘Digital Bus’ mentioned at the entrance and will be exclusively for passengers travelling without cash.

Giving details, BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra told Mid-Day that out of 30 lakh passengers, over 12 lakh are availing of the digital ticketing service through a mobile app. He also stated that around 2.10 lakh people are using the BEST smartcard.