Move to save commuters’ time,add comfort

According to MSRTC,the online ticketing and reservation system will be introduced initially in the “Shivneri” AC buses and semi-luxury buses that ply on Mumbai-Pune,Thane-Pune,Pune-Nashik and Pune-Aurangabad routes.

But implementation of the online ticketing and reservation system is likely to prove a tedious task for the state transport body as it involves compilation of the database of bus services across the state. “We are in the process of doing that and it may take around 14 more months to complete the entire project,” said Gupta.

At present,seat reservations in the MSRTC buses can only be done through the counters at MSRTC depots in Thane,Pune,Pandharpur and Nagpur or ticketing agents across the state. There are as many as 100 ticket booking agents in the Mumbai and Pune divisions.

Meanwhile,MSRTC has installed electronic ticket-vending machines at its Mumbai central depot as a pilot project. The online ticketing system will help conductors get rid of ticket bags. “It would curb printing cost and make accounting more accurate. The conductor will have to do the clerical work of maintaining a record and the entire process can be computerised,” added Gupta.