BEST UPI ticketing is set to move closer to implementation in Mumbai after the undertaking’s committee cleared a proposal to allow commuters to buy bus tickets through QR-based UPI payments. The administration will now begin the process of implementing the system, which is intended to promote cashless travel, reduce disputes over loose change and speed up ticket issuance.
The proposal was moved through a notice of motion by committee member Ajay Singh at a meeting on Friday. It calls for QR code-based payment facilities across the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking’s bus network. If implemented, passengers will be able to pay fares using any UPI-enabled banking or payment application instead of relying entirely on cash.
The proposed system would allow commuters to make digital payments either before boarding or after entering a bus by scanning designated QR codes. Conductors would carry dedicated QR codes on lanyards, while interoperable QR codes would also be installed on buses and at depots, according to the report. The arrangement is intended to provide multiple payment points across the ticketing process.
Singh said the move would address frequent disagreements between conductors and passengers over the availability of loose change. He also pointed to the adoption of UPI-based payment systems by public transport operators such as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, saying the experience had produced positive results.
For BEST commuters, the immediate operational benefit would be a digital alternative to cash payments. The proposal is also aimed at reducing the time conductors spend handling cash and issuing tickets, particularly during peak periods when buses face pressure to board passengers quickly. The report said digital payments could minimise boarding delays linked to cash transactions.
The proposal also brings a transparency objective to BEST’s fare collection system. Transport experts cited in the report said digital payments could reduce cash handling across the network and improve visibility over fare transactions. However, the committee’s clearance is an administrative step rather than confirmation that the facility is already available to passengers. BEST must still commence the implementation process before commuters can use the proposed system.
The plan comes as the undertaking continues to examine technology-led measures to improve commuter convenience and modernise its operations. Its proposed use of interoperable QR codes would allow passengers to use different UPI-enabled applications rather than being restricted to a single payment platform. The administration’s next step is to begin the process for implementing the QR-based ticketing arrangement across the bus network.
