Private buses yet to adopt UPI ticketing

T'puram: The private buses in the city are yet to implement digital payments for fare collection, though the KSRTC uses mobile payments and smart card payments. This will be an issue that the new govt may have to try to resolve by convincing the private bus operators.The previous govt did not want to take it up because it did not want to interfere with the choice of the bus owners. However, the passengers continue to struggle because it's a hassle to make cash payments because the bus fares are not rounded-off figures that require people and the conductors to carry small change. KSRTC has made digital payments widespread on its city buses as the conductors can accept UPI payments on their ticketing machines. But the private bus operators, who complain of falling revenue, do not want to invest in new ticketing machines and do not want to provide a GPay number for passengers. With the state govt planning to introduce free travel for women in buses, the private operators will have to innovate and make people select private buses.Commuters say that the private buses want to lament loss of revenue due to the free ticket initiative on KSRTC buses but are hesitant to embrace technology.The crew of a bus said that, "We cannot accept UPI payments unless the owners tell us. They have not given us a number or a QR code." P Srikumar, a commuter, said the KSRTC conductors now consider UPI payments as the norm. Many commuters have bought smart cards," he added.