TGSRTC's digital transactions still on first gear
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) began accepting Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions a couple of months ago, aiming to make ticketing convenient for passengers and to address the problem of small change. While the initial response has been encouraging, the payment method is yet to achieve widespread popularity, according to RTC officials.
According to official data, digital transactions now average 35,000 per day. Other digital payments for advance seat bookings account for another 14,000 transactions daily. Passengers scan the QR code on the Intelligent Ticket Issuing Machines (iTIMs), carried by conductors, following which the digital payment is processed and tickets issued.
With a city fleet of approximately 2,800 buses, TGSRTC has around 6,200 QR code-enabled iTIMS. A significant number of these are within the Greater Hyderabad Zone (GHZ), which includes the IT corridor in western Hyderabad.
However, despite a promising start, data indicates that digital payment adoption remains sluggish. While TGSRTC officials emphasise that the uptake is organic, digital transactions currently constitute a little over 10% of total ticketing in the GHZ. Another 20% is for advance reservations.
'We started accepting digital payments very recently. We want the adoption of digital payments to be organic. Once the system stabilises, we will certainly work on awareness and expansion of this mode of payment,' said TGSRTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director V.C. Sajjanar.
Occasional glitches
The payment process has been smooth and seamless. However, occasional glitches have been reported like delays in processing digital payments. A conductor on the 49M route — which connects Mehdipatnam and Secunderabad — spoke about slow processing at times, possibly due to weak network signals in certain areas. 'Sometimes, by the time the payment is processed, we are already at the next bus stop,' he remarked.
TGSRTC officials, however, attribute these issues to a recent UPI outage that disrupted digital payments across the country, an incident acknowledged by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
'Due to the recent UPI outage, some payment issues were raised. Otherwise, there are no significant problems with UPI payments,' Mr. Sajjanar clarified.
A transport researcher, while commending TGSRTC's move towards digital payments, suggested further measures to enhance adoption. He proposed installing static QR codes on panels inside buses, as seen in Bengaluru, to facilitate easier cashless payments, as an alternative to scanning the codes on iTIMS.
'Digital transactions have gained massive popularity elsewhere. It is only a matter of time before TGSRTC witnesses a substantial rise in such payments,' the transport expert observed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Telangana: 45 New Electric Buses Launched in Suryapet to Improve Public Transport
Forty-five new electric buses have started running in Suryapet district. Deputy Chief Minister Batti Vikramarka and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar flagged off the buses at the Suryapet RTC depot. The event was attended by Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy, MLAs Padmavati and Samel, MLC Shankar Nayak, District Collector Tejas Nanda Lal Power, SP Narasimha, and Tourism Corporation Chairman Patel Ramesh Reddy. After the launch, the ministers and MLAs rode the new buses. The Telangana government is focusing on electric vehicles to cut pollution and reduce diesel use. Revanth Reddy recently said diesel vehicles should be phased out. As part of this, the government is buying more electric buses. Since the Mahalaxmi Free Journey scheme started, buses have become crowded because there are not enough buses for all passengers. Also, many RTC buses break down often, and repairs cost a lot. To fix these issues, the government is buying new buses to improve service for passengers.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Telangana RTC Bus Pass Rates Increased by Over 20%
Telangana RTC has increased bus pass rates. The new rates came into effect on Monday. Along with the passes available to the general public, RTC has also raised the prices of student passes. Overall, the bus pass rates have increased by more than 20 percent. For example, the ordinary pass, which was Rs 1,150, has now increased to Rs 1,400. The Metro Express Pass, previously Rs 1,300, has gone up to Rs 1,600. Similarly, the Metro Deluxe Pass, which was Rs 1,450, is now Rs 1,800. RTC has also raised the prices of the Greater Hyderabad and Green Metro AC passes. It is worth noting that metro rail ticket fares in Hyderabad have also increased recently. As a result, both employees and students have expressed dissatisfaction with the rise in bus pass and metro ticket prices. The Telangana Government Service RTC (TGS RTC) is being urged to reconsider the hike in bus pass rates. There was widespread criticism when Hyderabad Metro Rail increased ticket prices. In response, the company announced a 10 percent discount on the increased fares. However, L&T has caused further confusion by not applying this discount uniformly across all fare slabs. Passengers have reported issues during ticket purchases, with L&T citing 'retail problems' as the reason for inconsistent discount application, making it a hot topic of discussion among commuters.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
No shortcuts in trust: Airtel Payments Bank CIO on responsible AI and banking at scale
Focusing on partnershipsAggressive use of AI, promoting financial inclusivityDefining digital transformation clearly, without embracing every emerging technology In the ever-shifting landscape of fintech, CIOs are no strangers to buzzwords like 'blockchain,' 'digital transformation,' and 'quantum computing.' Yet, as Pinak Chakraborty, CIO of Airtel Payments Bank , reflects, many of these terms remain aspirational rather than operational realities for most enterprises. 'We are far away from using blockchain right now,' Chakraborty admits candidly, adding that while blockchain offers immutability and decentralised trust, practical deployment requires extensive collaboration across multiple organisations — a challenge that cannot be underestimated. For CIOs steering large, complex fintech ecosystems, this means adopting a pragmatic mindset. Instead of chasing every emerging technology, leaders must focus on solving real problems with proven solutions while keeping an eye on promising innovations. This approach includes recognising that digital transformation is more than a catchphrase — it's about embedding technology in processes and culture to deliver measurable impact. However, Chakraborty notes, 'I have closed my ears to the term 'digital transformation' because too often it's used without clarity.' Collaboration and governance: The twin pillars What stands out in Chakraborty's narrative is the emphasis on partnerships — with industry bodies, technology vendors, and regulators. 'No new technology can be done without collaboration,' he says. The fintech space, particularly in India, thrives on ecosystem-level trust and interoperability, exemplified by initiatives like UPI which required multiple stakeholders to work in unison. Extended vendor contracts, integration complexities, and regulatory compliance are not merely operational hurdles but strategic considerations that CIOs must navigate deftly. Chakraborty explains how Airtel Payments Bank works closely with NPCI, UIDAI, and hyperscalers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, alongside regulatory bodies preparing for laws like the DPDP Act. Such alliances enable the bank to deploy sensitive features such as facial recognition for customer onboarding while ensuring adherence to compliance and data privacy. Artificial Intelligence (AI), too, is approached with rigorous governance. Chakraborty shares that the bank implements MLOps practices including model version control, continuous testing, and rollback capabilities to ensure auditability and reduce risks like model drift and bias. 'AI is aggressively used, but it does not replace humans. There is always a 'man in the middle',' he stresses, highlighting the balance between automation and human oversight crucial for trust in financial services. Balancing innovation with inclusion and trust For CIOs leading fintech innovation in India, the ultimate goal goes beyond technology adoption. It is about driving financial inclusion safely and sustainably. Chakraborty describes how biometric cues such as facial authentication combined with contextual fraud scoring using machine learning models have transformed risk management, enabling safer second banking accounts for underserved populations. However, the journey is not without its challenges. The reliance on multiple data sources necessitates centralised data lakes with unified customer views, while decentralised AI models must be carefully orchestrated for effectiveness and governance. There is also the ever-present need to mitigate data bias and hallucination risks through fine-tuning and restricting AI use cases. Despite these complexities, the vision remains clear: leveraging technology not as an end but as a means to deliver trust, transparency, and inclusion. As Chakraborty poignantly puts it, 'Technology partnerships, regulatory alignment, and ethical AI governance are long-lasting journeys. CIOs who embrace this holistic view will lead India's fintech future.' As the digital financial ecosystem continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, CIOs must play a more decisive role not just in tech adoption but in shaping the very frameworks of trust, security, and long-term interoperability. For Chakraborty, the future isn't about adopting shiny new tools but ensuring the bedrock data, ethics, partnerships, and resilience is uncompromised. 'There's no shortcut to building for Bharat,' Chakraborty says. 'You need to think long-term, act collaboratively, and design for trust.'
