ITS tenders to be out in December

Mumbai: The Integrated Ticketing System (ITS), a project that will ease the commute of Mumbaikars is a step closer to reality now as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to float tenders for the project in December and start the bidding process. Under the ITS, all modes of transport like monorail, Metro, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses and suburban railways will have a single smart card.

“We have completed finalising the specifications for ITS and the authority is about to start the bidding process. We will float the tenders by December,” said a senior MMRDA official in charge of the project.  The official added that the authority would hold a contest to finalise the design of the smart card.

With the implementation of the ITS, Mumbaikars will not have to worry about purchasing tickets for different modes of public transport. According to reports, once the ITS comes into use, commuters can place their smart cards on the BEST bus conductor’s handheld devices, which will automatically deduct fare rates depending upon the destination.  Whereas in case of railways, the cards will be used on automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMS), which are placed in railway stations. A QR code could also be provided, which citizens will have to scan with the card to enter their location as well as destination. PricewaterhouseCoopers was appointed as consultants for the project.