The procurement of Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs), which would have made BMTC’s hi-tech project possible, has turned into another murky affair. Highly-placed sources in the organisation told Deccan Chronicle that the BMTC has called for tenders for the second time to source these ETMs after discarding over 800 devices that were supplied earlier.
A manufacturer was selected through a tender to deliver ETMs. BMTC received around 800 devices, which cost Rs 56 lakh at Rs 7,000 for each unit. But it dumped them, saying the manufacturer did not meet the specifications set by the BMTC. BMTC has been talking for a while now about introducing CMC, which can be used in different modes of transport, like Metro and BMTC. Bengaluru would have been the first city to adopt it. But the project is about to be shelved as these cards would require high-end ETMs. The country still does not have the technology or the manufacturer to produce the devices in large numbers, they said.
“KSRTC has been using user-friendly ticketing machines that are suitable to Indian conditions. But BMTC wants high-end ETMs which can record sale of tickets live and send information to a data centre through GPRS, and other add-ons. But the Passenger Information System, linked to ETMs, may not take off. Initially when BMTC chose a supplier, they failed to build ETMs of such high standards. New tenders have been floated now,” a BMTC source said.
These ETMs will cost close to Rs 5 crore and will be in use only for four years. The BMTC also has to spend another Rs 3.5 crore per year to fit global positioning systems in all buses. “Facilities at bus depots too have to be upgraded which means additional cost. The BMTC is in no position to spend the money. Moreover, of the many applications available in ETMs, only a few will be in use. For instance, a facility on the number of tickets sold every 15 minutes is a waste. We are aware of the approximate number of BMTC tickets sold on a daily basis. Why are corporation honchos insisting on procuring these expensive ETMs?” the source asked.