Bengaluru: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) cashless ticketing system, which uses UPI QR code for digital transactions, came under scrutiny after four bus conductors were suspended on charges of diverting passenger fares to their personal UPI accounts.The cashless ticketing system is used by 51% of passengers to pay for fares by using UPI, enabling BMTC to collect over Rs 1.5 crore daily. BMTC suspended the conductors after they were found collecting fares using their personal UPI QR codes instead of the authorised BMTC one. During routine inspections, the utility found the conductors had siphoned off more than Rs 1.3 lakh from unsuspecting commuters. The fraud by the accused conductors — Suresh (who pocketed Rs 47,257), Manchegowda (Rs 54,358), Ashwak Khan (Rs 3,206) and Supreetha (Rs 33,000) — was detected in Dec and Jan. After illegally collecting fares, the four deceived commuters by not issuing any tickets. In some instances, they issued Shakti scheme tickets or blank ones, claiming that Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) were not working. BMTC chief traffic manager (operations) GT Prabhakar Reddy said out of 4 cases, 3 were detected by line-checking staff during routine inspections, while one case came to light after a passenger alerted the control room. The passenger complained the conductor was asking commuters to transfer money to his personal UPI QR code instead of the authorised BMTC account. An official said commuters should immediately contact the BMTC control room if they come across such practices. “After BMTC popularised UPI scanner-based transactions, the system was well-received by passengers, with a gradual increase in patronage,” he said.
