The West Bengal government has launched an all-in-one transport card that commuters can swipe to pay fares on all state-run buses, trams and ferries in Kolkata, reported NDTV. Designed along the lines of London’s famous Oyster Card, the West Bengal Transport Card is currently available at five major bus stops across the city. Soon, they will be available at 20 other locations.
However, the transport card cannot be used for metro rides. Transport Minister Shubhendu Adhikari told NDTV that this is because the metro comes under the Central government.
The Mamata Banerjee-led government also unveiled an app, Pathadisha (Pathfinder), for smartphone users to get real-time information. Commuters can find out how far their bus is, how many seats are available and how long it will take to reach their destination on the app. The World Bank along with Korea Green Growth Trust Fund is supporting the initiative.
The app, which has been developed by private technology company Ideation, is currently available only on Android devices. It currently tracks 700 state buses and will soon extend its coverage to 40,000 private buses plying in and around Kolkata. “This is part of the state government’s effort to offer a smart and transparent transportation system for commuters,” Adhikari told The Telegraph.
The state-run buses will henceforth be GPS-enabled, to help commuters in case of accidents. According to the government, police stations, hospitals and fire stations will immediately get an alert in case of a mishap. The vehicles will also be equipped with close circuit surveillance cameras and panic buttons.
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