DAVANAGERE: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has recorded an impressive ₹11 crore in digital fare collections via UPI in just eight months across its Davanagere division, signaling a strong shift toward cashless travel.

Since November 2024, the division has aggressively promoted QR-based UPI payments using apps like PhonePe and Google Pay, especially through smart Electronic Ticket Machines (ETMs) on long-distance buses. This initiative was aimed at addressing the persistent issue of small change and reducing friction between conductors and commuters.

The division operates 404 buses with 490 ETMs (including spares), and currently averages ₹1.9 crore in monthly UPI collections. Transaction volumes have shown consistent growth:

  • Nov: ₹29.2 lakh

  • Dec: ₹1 crore

  • Jan: ₹1.3 crore

  • Feb: ₹1.5 crore

  • Mar: ₹1.6 crore

  • Apr: ₹1.8 crore

  • May: ₹1.9 crore

  • June (till 15th): ₹1.9 crore

    • Long-distance and inter-district services are leading the digital adoption due to better connectivity, while city and rural commuters are still slow to switch for shorter trips.

    Passengers have also benefited from quicker refunds, now processed within 24–48 hours in case of transaction failures — a major improvement from the earlier one-week timeframe.

    “Our efforts are paying off. With smoother systems and increasing awareness, we expect digital transactions to grow further,” said Kiran Kumar Basapur, KSRTC Divisional Controller, Davanagere.