Karnataka - Bangalore   

Just SMS for a bus ticket

BANGALORE: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Friday launched mobile e-ticket booking facility in association with ngpay — the largest mall on mobile, in addition to its existing online ticket booking system.

Transport Minister and KSRTC Chairman R. Ashok, who launched the facility at KSRTC Central Office, said the move was one step forward to serve customers better. The mobile booking facility, Mr. Ashok said, would help even those who do not have access to Internet and hoped that the e-ticket customer base would swell.

KSRTC already has over 2.5 lakh registered users for its Awatar — any where any time advance reservation — portal, www.ksrtc.in. Roping in ngpay as its mobile e-ticket booking partner is likely to add over one lakh more registered users of ngpay to KSRTC’s ambit, said a senior KSRTC official.

To avail the facility, one should have GPRS-enabled mobile sets and service. The customer has to send an SMS — KSRTC — to 56767; download the secure ngpay application and after completing the online registration, the customer can book the tickets.

The mobile e-ticket booking will offer almost all the features that are available on Awatar. Customer can select the class of service, number of seats and specify a convenient pick-up point. The payment can be made using credit, debit and cash cards and even bank accounts unlike Awatar where only credit cards are accepted at present.

On completion of booking, a PNR will be generated and stored in the ngpay application even as the customer will receive an SMS indicating the PNR. An e-ticket will also be generated and be sent via email if the customer has one. If he does not have email facility, the customer can show the PNR at any KSRTC booking counter and get the printed ticket. While Rs. 3 will be charged for the first SMS to be sent for registration, the facility is offered free of cost, except the service charge (2.5 per cent of the ticket value) which is being levied for Awatar.

Secretary to Government, Transport Department, M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda, KSRTC Managing Director Gaurav Gupta, Transport Commissioner Bhaskar Rao and others were present.

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