বাংলায় পড়ুন
After the successful application of getting advance ticket for short journey buses of West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) through a smartphone app, owners and associations of private buses too have expressed their willingness to start something similar. At present the WBTC app, ‘Chalo’ has become popular among commuters which has prodded private bus owners as well.
Sources said that in another 2-3 months, a portion of private buses plying in Kolkata and adjoining areas will be accessible through that app. General secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, Tapan Banerjee said that so far the necessary hand-held machines have been handed over to conductors of several routes and after commuters pay for their tickets, a printout from that machine is given.
Soon both drivers and conductors of certain private buses would be seen rendering services in a particular T Shirt. Distribution of such T Shirts is in progress. Commuters soon will be able to take their tickets in advance by scanning a QR-code in the app. Sources said that along with commuters, bus owners will also be able to locate their buses real time and in case any bus driver decides to cut its route, he can not only be monitored, but also be alerted.
Officials of the company which developed the app said that so far about 3000 private buses have been registered in the app and the whereabouts of which could be monitored through the app.
An official of the company said,
At present about 30 bus conductors of private buses in four bus routes have been handed over the machines. In about three months, passengers will be able to take tickets in advance. In the near future, the number of such machines will be increased.
Commuters are naturally happy about the development. Amit Jaiswal, an employee of an IT-based company at Sector V in Salt Lake said,
There will not be any trouble regarding changing large denomination coins and smoother transactions are expected. It will also help in curbing road rage among buses of the same route because they would know that they are being monitored constantly.
