The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to implement an Internet enabled ticketing system in public transport services, according to an official press release.
The system will enable the State-run transport corporations issue tickets to commuters using Internet-linked, electronic, handheld devices. The benefit to commuters will be ease of buying tickets on crowded buses, and for the operators, increased efficiency in ticketing, generation of real time data including the number of commuters in any bus, revenue generated, distances travelled, location of buses and maintaining proper timing of services.
Pallavan Transport Consultancy Ltd, a public sector consultant in traffic and transportation, highway and bus engineering and computerisation, is to implement the project.
The State Government has sanctioned Rs 10.30 crore to the consultancy firm with an additional Rs 9.30 crore to come from the Centre.
Initially the project will cover 250 depots, 19 zones, six headquarters of the various transport corporations and the central control room to come up in Chennai. The consultancy company will buy 5,000 handheld devices and will call for tenders from equipment suppliers within one month, the release said.