Pune: Maha Metro and PMRDA are working on an integrated ticketing system to allow passengers to travel across all three Metro corridors using a single QR code.“The software development work has been undertaken. We expect the integrated system to be ready in another three months,” Maha Metro director (Works) Atul Gadgil told TOI.The integration will bring Maha Metro’s Vanaz-Ramwadi and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)-Swargate corridors, and PMRDA’s Maan-Civil Court Pink Line under one ticketing arrangement. “The contract for developing the software has been awarded to Paycraft, a Mumbai- and Hyderabad-based ticketing technology company,” Gadgil said.A commuter travelling from Kothrud to Hinjewadi currently has to scan two separate QR codes while changing Metro lines despite booking tickets and paying for the entire journey through a common platform. “It is pretty cumbersome. A single ticketing system will make the commute easier,” said an IT professional, a regular commuter from Kalyaninagar to Hinjewadi.A key component of the integration project is the creation of a central clearing house to handle fare calculation and settlement between the two Metro operators. Currently, Maha Metro and PMRDA (Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority) have separate fare collection systems. So, a journey involving both networks generates two QR codes even when booked together.Under the new arrangement, passengers will make a single payment at the time of booking. “The software will calculate the total fare and apportion the respective shares between Maha Metro and PMRDA based on the distance travelled on their networks. The settlement will be completed either on the same day or the following day,” Gadgil said.Footfall swingsPMRDA’s Maan-Civil Court Pink Line recorded 2,66,558 passenger journeys in its first eight days of operations, from Nov 4 to Nov 11.Ridership was the highest on the opening day at 48,679, followed by 40,329 on Nov 5. It declined to 34,647 on Nov 6 and 34,243 on Nov 7, before dropping to 18,908 on Nov 8.The daily count subsequently reached 32,979 on Nov 9, before falling to 30,699 on Nov 10 and 26,074 on Nov 11. The estimated ridership is around 2 to 2.5 lakh daily.
