Passengers travelling by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) buses have faced Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment issues for the last couple of weeks, leading to many passengers being unable to pay for their tickets online during their bus journeys. PMPML officials stated that it was a temporary issue on Saturday and Sunday and has since been resolved.
PMPML introduced UPI payment for city buses to help passengers avoid the hassle of change and mitigate the chances of corruption. Initiated by Sachindra Pratap Singh, the former Chairman and Managing Director of PMPML, the system initially received a positive response from passengers. However, passengers now claim that they are facing issues.
According to passengers, even when they request a QR Code for tickets, it is not provided. In contrast, conductors are demanding cash and change from passengers. Conductors also cite issues in the UPI system, causing discomfort to passengers and leading to arguments at times. Passengers have also reported experiencing rude behaviour from conductors.
Satish Gate, Public Relations Officer at PMPML, informed the media about the issue, stating, "The UPI ticketing system is receiving a positive response from passengers. There is no technical problem. Only last weekend, the server of the machine went down, but it has been resolved. Conductors are strongly advised to maximize the use of UPI QR Codes for ticketing."
