Cashless transactions on trial basis in 4 buses in WG

Eluru: Vice-chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC, M Malakondaiah on Wednesday said that the online cashless transactions would be introduced in four bus services of West Godavari district on a trial basis following the demonetisation of big currency notes.

He met the District Collector K Bhaskar at Collector office on Wednesday after visiting the Bus depot and garage.

The two officers discussed on the implementation of cashless transactions in RTC buses.

While suggesting the introduction of cashless transactions in bus services, the Collector said that a QR code will be given to every bus and the conductor can get the amount from the common mobile phone and issue tickets easily.

He opined that this will avoid the currency shortage problems.

Addressing the suggestion, the Managing Director Malakondaiah said that this will be introduced in four RTC buses on a trial basis on Thursday in the district.

If the online cashless transactions are successful, it will extend all over the district. Later due course, it will be introduced all over the state taking West Godavari district as mode, MD stated.

He also said that after the demonetisation of big currency, the money shortage problem had raised and the occupancy ratio has decreased in the buses.

He added that he will look into the matter and the RTC will impart training to the conductors.

He said that the RTC has ordered 16,000 EPoS machines. However, the Company has clarified that it will supply only 100 machines per day only. Due to this problem, the RTC was not able to implement the cashless transactions in a full-fledged manner.

RTC EDA Venkateswara Rao, ED (Operations) Jayarao, CDM Brahmananda Reddy, RTC Regional Manager Dhanunjaya Rao and others also participated in the discussions.