Pune’s Shivajinagar MSRTC depot is accepting only cash for bus ticket reservations and passenger passes, creating difficulties for travellers during the Diwali rush despite the corporation’s push for cashless payments and NCMC card usage.
The new Shivajinagar bus station is seeing increased demand for MSRTC reservations as passengers prepare for Diwali travel. However, people arriving at the reservation counter are reportedly being asked to pay in cash, leaving those prepared to use online payment or cards without a digital option at the depot.
The restriction is particularly inconvenient during the festival season, when large numbers of passengers are expected to reserve seats within a short period. Travellers who do not carry sufficient cash have had to arrange money outside the bus station before completing their bookings.
The station’s State Bank of India ATM is also reportedly not functioning, adding to the difficulty. With no working ATM available within the premises, passengers needing cash have had to look for alternatives outside the station.
Some passengers have reportedly approached vendors near the bus station to obtain cash. According to the report, they are being asked to transfer Rs 1,040 online to receive Rs 1,000 in cash, effectively paying an additional Rs 40 for the transaction. The arrangement raises the cost of accessing a service that passengers need because the official reservation counter does not currently provide a digital payment facility.
The issue extends beyond Diwali ticket reservations. Students and senior citizens seeking MSRTC passes are also reportedly being asked to pay in cash. The requirement can be especially difficult for senior citizens, who may have to make additional arrangements to withdraw money before applying for or renewing a pass.
MSRTC has been promoting NCMC cards and digital payments for passenger transactions. However, the digital payment facility is currently available when passengers make reservations through the corporation’s app or other online channels, rather than when they visit the depot’s reservation counter in person.
Sanjay Babarao Walve, senior manager of the Shivajinagar depot, said that no online payment facility was currently available at the depot. He also indicated that such a facility was not available at other locations either, according to the report.
The situation highlights a gap between the corporation’s stated move towards cashless transactions and the payment arrangements available at a major urban bus terminal. At Shivajinagar, passengers who need counter-based assistance for reservations or passes remain dependent on cash, even as digital booking is available through other channels. The depot’s next step on enabling digital payments at the counter was not specified in the report.
