After grappling with community points and preliminary reluctance from bus conductors to just accept on-line funds, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Restricted (PMPML) has lastly began to see a gentle surge in digital transactions for bus tickets.
From a meagre 0.8 per cent in October final yr, on-line funds have risen to round 4 per cent as of July this yr, marking a noticeable enchancment.
Though the income generated by way of the web system is growing, the general income charge from its launch date till now stands at solely 2.09 per cent, indicating that extra efforts are wanted towards PMPML’s digitisation. The PMPML’s gross income from October 2023 to July 2024 stands at Rs 490.27 crore, with UPI transactions contributing Rs 10.25 crore.
The info highlights seasonal traits in UPI transaction charges. In the course of the 5 months following the launch of the web system, from October final yr to February this yr — a interval that coincides with the winter season — the UPI system witnessed a gradual improve from 0.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent, as extra folks opted to make use of PMPML buses.
Nonetheless, as summer time set in throughout March 2024, this upward pattern skilled a slight dip. The income proportion dropped to 1.96 per cent in March and additional to 1.51 per cent in April.
The PMPML’s Site visitors Planning Officer, Narayan Jagganath Karde, attributed this decline to the summer time holidays when pupil commuters are fewer. He mentioned, “The slight discount in digital funds throughout March and April is primarily because of the lower in college students preferring PMPML companies for travelling. We’re persistently working towards enhancing our fee system and resolving community glitches.”
He added that regardless of this seasonal dip, the interval from Might to July has seen a resurgence in UPI utilization. The speed rose consecutively from 2 per cent to three per cent after which to 4 per cent, indicating the continuity of on-line ticketing. As many as 50 lakh passengers paid round Rs 10.25 crore by way of UPI from October to July.
Alongside community points and PMPML workers’s resistance to utilizing the UPI system, another excuse for the restricted use of UPI is the concern amongst passengers of dropping cash through the transaction course of.
Mohan Bhise, who travels every day from Pimpri to Deccan to attend school, mentioned initially he was excited in regards to the on-line system, however his private expertise compelled him to stay to money for ticket reserving. “I’m in favour of cashless transactions, offered the service and community are dependable. As soon as, I used to be concerned in a verbal dispute with the bus workers after demanding a refund when my cash was deducted, however the workers didn’t obtain it,” he mentioned.
A girl commuter, who travels every day from Deccan to Kothrud, mentioned she has belief points with the PMPML’s on-line system and prefers to make use of money. Nonetheless, she mentioned, “Though I’m hesitant to make use of on-line transactions, I’m additionally excited in regards to the ‘Apli PMPML’ cellular app the place I can ebook my ticket on-line.”
Passengers will be capable of obtain and use PMPML’s cellular app beginning August 17, the place they will monitor bus routes in real-time and ebook their tickets by way of the app. The app may also characteristic different user-friendly choices.
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