BRTS e-purse smart cards in great demand in twin cities

Hubballi: The demand for e-purse smart cards by the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation for HD-BRTS commuters has surged over the past year, with over 500 new users added each month.
Initially, 3–4 thousand people used the travel cards. However, by the end of June 2024, 11,795 cards were in use, with 742 sold in June alone. This card helps commuters avoid long queues.
According to sources, due to increased demand, the department is providing additional facilities.New cards will be issued at the ticket counters of all BRTS bus stations. Also, a website is being provided for online recharge, where users can recharge the card. To date, 216 people have already recharged their cards online. For this, the Chigari App has been developed.
By using the e-purse smart card, passengers are saving time and money. A 10% discount is offered for a Rs 100 recharge to the card. Also, discounts are being given to passengers who travel on BRTS buses twice or more than twice in a single day. The travel fare will be discounted for the card users in city buses travelling across Hubballi-Dharwad. The department is working to encourage smart card users.
There are long queues at stations such as Hosur, Nava Nagar, Jubilee Circle, and others. From 8am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm, there will be long lines at ticket counters. To avoid this, people are opting for smart cards.
Kempanna Gudennavar, divisional traffic officer at Hubballi-Dharwad city division, said the number of smart card users is increasing. There is no rule that the e-purse smart card should be used by one person. Family members and friends of the card user can also use it.
If five or six people are travelling together, they can purchase tickets through a smart card at a BRTS ticket counter. Smart cardholders will also get a discount on fares if they travel in a city bus across twin cities.