TGSRTC, Metro Services set to introduce common card for payment: Report

Hyderabad: In an effort to streamline the travelling needs of the commuters, the Telangana government will launch a common mobility card under Telangana Mobility as a Service (T-MaaS) initiative, according to the Times of India report.

Once the service is launched, commuters can use the T-MaaS card across the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) and Metro services seamlessly. The state transporter is currently testing this facility using tap machines on its buses.

The common mobility card initiative is being launched under the supervision of Hyderabad Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (HUMTA). The agency is responsible for managing the traffic and transport in Hyderabad.

The commuters can simply tap the mobily cards on these machines to record their boarding and exiting the transport mode and this facility will soon replace the existing paper ticket system.

The RTC is also in the process of rolling out ‘intelligent Ticket Issuing Machines’ to enable commuters to use digital payment systems on its fleet in the city. Currently, Hyderabad Metro Rail supports the common mobility cards through its ticket scanners, however, RTC needs to install the tap machines on its 2,800 city buses.

According to a senior HUMTA official, the common mobility card will be similar to metro cards and the commuters can top up their balance using UPI payments. These cards will be made available at both metro stations and RTC counters.

A few weeks ago, the TGSRTC launched six Green Metro Luxury Electric AC buses for IT corridor commuters, bringing a new eco-friendly travel option to the city. In addition to the new bus services, the RTC has introduced a range of discounts on its bus services between Hyderabad and Vijayawada. A 10 per cent discount is available on Lahari-Non-AC sleeper-cum-seater and Super Luxury services, while an 8% discount is being offered on Rajadhani AC buses.