The vending machines have been left unused at metro stations. It needs to update the software and recalibrate the systems to accept new coins and notes released since demonetization.
Ishika Dangayach
Bangalore, November 22, 2019
The ticket vending machine introduced by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) at the main station has been collecting dust over the past two years. These machines are unusable because of outdated software and technology.
The machines were installed to help passengers to avoid long queues when they buy tickets or recharge their smart cards, but none of them is working. They have not been working since 2016 according to passengers and officials.
Priyadarshini, a start-up founder said, “I have not found any working vending machine at the metro station. Each time I use metro I have to wait for long as there are huge queues at the ticket counter.”
Arvind K., another commuter said, “When I have to get my smart card recharged, it takes a lot of time because of large queues but earlier when the vending machine was there it was so convenient.”
BMRCL official told the softcopy that in an average 5,00,000 people travel through metro out of which 60 per cent of those travelling on Purple Line and 51% on Green Line use smart cards.
Mr. Yashvanth Chavan, Public Relations Officer, BMRCL said, “The Ticket Vending Machines are out of service since demonetization. It will be introduced again with new software which will have access to the new denomination currency or if it would be cost-efficient, we may install new vending machines.”
In December 2012, the BMRCL introduced the ticket vending machines at M.G. Bridge, Baiyappanahalli and Indira Nagar stations. Passengers had been called upon to use the machines, to purchase tickets (tokens) and contactless smart cards. The machines accepted notes of various denominations—Rs 10, 20, 100, 500 etc but denied payment by credit and debit cards.
The Softcopy observed that the machines at Majestic, Baiyappanahalli, Mysuru metro station were not working and were covered and at MG road the led board in the machine shows the message ‘Out of Service’ in English and Kannada.
Karan Jaiswal, IT expert, said, “The ticket vending machine will help to reduce the queue as it takes hardly a minute or half longer to remove a token from it, so it would benefit the passengers in any way.”
Apart from that, BMRCL plans to launch a mobile app to recharge metro cards.
