Ahmedabad commuters await new Janmitra smart cards for BRTS, other benefits

The free Janmitra smart cards distributed by Amdavad Municipal Corporation had been a boon for daily commuters. The cashless service helped Amdavadis pay all civic taxes, including for marriage, birth certificates, and most importantly for  BRTS tickets. However, for the past six months, BRTS has stopped issuing new Janmitra cards, causing inconvenience to commuters. 

Notably, Janmitra cards for BRTS commuters began in April 2017. Since new cards are not being issued, commuters are forced to stand in queues for tickets. In place of smart cards, BRTS will issue passes in the near future, as per officials.

Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited operates BRTS buses across the city. When the Janmitra cards were introduced, commuters were relieved from the hassle of buying tickets every time they travelled. Reliable sources have revealed that the company contracted to handle the Janmitra cards has been unable to resolve certain technical issues. So, its contract was terminated six months ago. Since then, no new cards have been issued, only existing cards can be recharged.

Earlier, passengers who used smart cards received a 40% discount on fares. With the issue of new cards suspended, commuters can no longer avail of this discount. However, it has been stated that when passes will be introduced, the same benefits previously offered for the Janmitra cards will be continued.

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