Bengaluru: After the bus fare hike, there has been a surge in Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) passengers using UPI to buy tickets. UPI transactions skyrocketed from Rs 10.3 crore in Dec 2024 to a whopping Rs 35.5 crore by March 2025.
The fare increase, implemented in the first week of Jan this year, resulted in passengers facing the challenge of small change as most tickets were not in multiples of Rs 5 or Rs 10 as was the case earlier.
Before the hike, BMTC fares were rounded off – Rs 5 for the first two stages, Rs 10 for up to four stages, and Rs 15 for up to six stages. Post-hike, the fares now stand at Rs 6 for the first two stages, Rs 12 for up to four stages, and Rs 18 for up to six stages. The struggle was real, as passengers scrambled to provide the right amount, while conductors had their own battle in giving back the exact change. Considering the problem faced by passengers and conductors, the management of BMTC gave a major push for the usage of UPI in all buses.
BMTC now claims that close to 40% of bus tickets are bought using UPI transactions. As per the details shared by Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), in March, Rs 89.2 crore revenue (other than the Shakti Scheme) was generated from ticket fares, out of which Rs 35.5 crore was generated via UPI. In Feb 2025, Rs 83.4 crore was generated, of which Rs 29.4 crore was paid through UPI to buy tickets. In Jan 2025, out of Rs 83.7 crore fare generated, Rs 19.7 crore came via UPI.
In Dec 2024, Rs 33.1 lakh was paid through UPI on an average every day. The number doubled to Rs 63.4 lakh in Jan 2025, crossed Rs 1 crore in Feb and touched Rs 1.1 crore in March.
BMTC chief traffic manager (operation) GT Prabhakar Reddy said: “Three factors played a crucial role in the increased UPI transactions for buying bus tickets. First, ensuring that UPI transactions were accepted on all the operational schedules. Second, educating passengers and conductors about the ease of UPI transactions to avoid change issues. And third, monitoring daily transactions at the depot level. After the rise in UPI usage, disputes over change between passengers and conductors have significantly decreased. On the other hand, conductors are now dealing with less cash for issuing tickets, and cash remittances to banks have become easier.”
Rs 7 cr daily revenue
On an average, 7.8 lakh passengers buy tickets through UPI transactions daily. Every day, BMTC generates revenue of nearly Rs 7 crore, which includes tickets issued under the Shakti Scheme. Under the scheme, conductors issue zero-value tickets to women beneficiaries. In May, on an average, BMTC generated Rs 2.9 crore per day from non-Shakti scheme, which includes Rs 1.2 crore from UPI transactions.
FARE DEAL
Month
UPI Amount (in Rs crore)
Per day average (in Rs lakh)
Jan 2024
6.3
20.3
Feb
6.3
21.6
March
7.2
23.3
April
7.7
25.8
May
6.2
20.1
June
8.3
27.8
July
8.7
27.9
Aug
9.4
30.3
Sept
9.4
31.3
Oct
9.9
31.9
Nov
10.5
35.2
Dec
10.3
33.1
Jan 2025
19.7
63.4
Feb
29.4
104
March
35.5
114
Source: BMTC
Bengaluru: After the bus fare hike, there has been a surge in BMTC passengers using UPI to buy tickets. UPI transactions skyrocketed from Rs 10.3 crore in Dec 2024 to a whopping Rs 35.5 crore by March 2025.
The fare increase, implemented in the first week of Jan this year, resulted in passengers facing the challenge of small change as most tickets were not in multiples of Rs 5 or Rs 10 as was the case earlier.
Before the hike, BMTC fares were rounded off – Rs 5 for the first two stages, Rs 10 for up to four stages, and Rs 15 for up to six stages. Post-hike, the fares now stand at Rs 6 for the first two stages, Rs 12 for up to four stages, and Rs 18 for up to six stages. The struggle was real, as passengers scrambled to provide the right amount, while conductors had their own battle in giving back the exact change. Considering the problem faced by passengers and conductors, the management of BMTC gave a major push for the usage of UPI in all buses.
BMTC now claims that close to 40% of bus tickets are bought using UPI transactions. As per the details shared by Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), in March, Rs 89.2 crore revenue (other than the Shakti Scheme) was generated from ticket fares, out of which Rs 35.5 crore was generated via UPI. In Feb 2025, Rs 83.4 crore was generated, of which Rs 29.4 crore was paid through UPI to buy tickets. In Jan 2025, out of Rs 83.7 crore fare generated, Rs 19.7 crore came via UPI.
In Dec 2024, Rs 33.1 lakh was paid through UPI on an average every day. The number doubled to Rs 63.4 lakh in Jan 2025, crossed Rs 1 crore in Feb and touched Rs 1.1 crore in March.
BMTC chief traffic manager (operation) GT Prabhakar Reddy said: “Three factors played a crucial role in the increased UPI transactions for buying bus tickets. First, ensuring that UPI transactions were accepted on all the operational schedules. Second, educating passengers and conductors about the ease of UPI transactions to avoid change issues. And third, monitoring daily transactions at the depot level. After the rise in UPI usage, disputes over change between passengers and conductors have significantly decreased. On the other hand, conductors are now dealing with less cash for issuing tickets, and cash remittances to banks have become easier.”
Rs 7 cr daily revenue
On an average, 7.8 lakh passengers buy tickets through UPI transactions daily. Every day, BMTC generates revenue of nearly Rs 7 crore, which includes tickets issued under the Shakti Scheme. Under the scheme, conductors issue zero-value tickets to women beneficiaries. In May, on an average, BMTC generated Rs 2.9 crore per day from non-Shakti scheme, which includes Rs 1.2 crore from UPI transactions.
FARE DEAL
Month
UPI Amount (in Rs crore)
Per day average (in Rs crore)
Jan 2024
6.3
20.3
Feb
6.3
21.6
March
7.2
23.3
April
7.7
25.8
May
6.2
20.1
June
8.3
27.8
July
8.7
27.9
Aug
9.4
30.3
Sept
9.4
31.3
Oct
9.9
31.9
Nov
10.5
35.2
Dec
10.3
33.1
Jan 2025
19.7
63.4
Feb
29.4
1.1 crore
March
35.5
1.1 crore
Source: BMTC