The Deccan Chronicle 10.08.2010
Loyalty card proving costly?Aug. 9: There is discontent brewing among BMTC commuters as its loyalty card scheme is proving them costly. Already burdened by two hikes in the cost of the daily passes since the hike in fuel prices, they are in no mood to shell out the Rs 25 more to buy the loyalty card, meant to stop a commuter from selling his daily pass after he has made use of it, to others who may want to want to travel, but for a lesser price. Asking a commuter to produce the loyalty card along with his daily pass when boarding a bus, is not really going to help stop this, they say.
“What is the guarantee that the loyalty card holder will not sell his daily pass after his day’s journey to another loyalty card holder for less than what he would have to pay for it at a BMTC counter? The corporation must come out with foolproof measures instead of opting for such schemes,” says Prakash Reddy, a marketing executive. “The BMTC is simply harassing the commuters by introducing an ID card system, forcing us to shell out an extra Rs. 25 to buy it. If we dont have the card on us we are being asked to pay an additional Rs 5 for the daily pass,” he says.
“Introduction of ID cards for daily pass holders is an absurd move. It is stupid to think it will solve the misuse of the daily pass. This has only been done to fleece the commuters and add to the BMTC's coffers,”says Sulekha Pai, a comm
uter.Commuters suggest that the BMTC should conduct raids on major bus stands like Shivajinagar, Majestic, Market, and Banashankari to stop the sale of daily passes both by passengers and touts who buy them from those alighting from buses to sell them again to others boarding them.
BMTC managing director Syed Zameer Pasha,however , defends the introduction of the loyalty card.
