KSRTC Mangaluru collects ₹6.5 crore in ticket fare via UPI payments in five months

The KSRTC Mangaluru Division has collected ₹6.53 crore from passengers towards ticket fare through the UPI-based payment system since its introduction five months ago in November 2024.

According to the details provided by the division, ₹31.95 lakh was collected through the UPI system in November 2024. The amount rose to ₹1.15 crore in December 2024 and has been steadily growing since then by collecting ₹1.47 crore in January, ₹1.70 crore in February 2025, and ₹1.87 crore in March.

All the KSRTC buses, including those running on 533 routes operated by KSRTC Mangaluru division, have been using the electronic ticketing system-enabled (ETS-enabled) handheld ticketing devices.

When the conductor types the origin and the destination of the commuter, a dynamic QR code gets displayed on the ticketing machine. The commuter can scan it and make the payment using different payment apps. On completion of the payment to the account of KSRTC Mangaluru Depot, the machine generates the ticket.

While the bus conductors were happy with the UPI system, some of them said network issues posed problems in collecting the fare.

A conductor on an Uppinangady-bound bus said that there are delays in getting credited to the KSRTC’s account due to poor network issues. In such a situation, the conductor will have to spare more time per passenger as they wait for the amount to get credited, and this results in a delay in the issuance of tickets to other passengers as well.

Another conductor said that when the amount gets deducted from the passengers’ accounts and does not get credited to the KSRTC, conductors are forced to ask commuters to pay cash and convince them that the amount deducted from their accounts will get credited back. Some commuters oblige, while others do not, said the conductor.