Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking will give preference to smart card users who won't have to wait in queues to board a bus from March 1. Currently, around 35 lakh Mumbaikars use BEST bus services daily, of which around 15% are using smart cards including the Chalo App, Chalo smart card and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).
BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said commuters using these options to pay the fare will be given first entry to the buses, especially at the starting point. “This additional facility is being provided in order to increase the use of digital payments on a large scale,” an official said, adding that they have appealed to the passengers to make maximum use of the digital facilities provided by the undertaking.
Passengers who do not use digital payment options might face some inconveniences. However, the official asserted that this would motivate them to use digital modes of payment, proving beneficial for the undertaking as well as the passengers.
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