Facility available through the ‘Chalo App’, already being used for digital payments
Vikram Sharma
JAMMU: In a significant move aimed at empowering women and promoting digital transport solutions, the government will soon issue e-passes to girl students and women in Jammu and Srinagar for free travel in e-buses. According to a senior official in Jammu Smart City, the process of issuing these e-passes will begin within a week. Presently, women and girl students can travel for free in state e-buses by collecting zero-fare tickets. However, with the introduction of digital e-passes, this physical ticketing system will be replaced with a seamless, app-based process.
The facility will be available through the ‘Chalo App’, which is already being used for digital payments and issuing monthly passes. This transition will not only make travel easier and faster for women, but it will also help the government maintain accurate data on the number of female passengers using the free travel facility. This data can further be used to enhance transportation services for women in the future.
The official highlighted that Srinagar is among the leading cities in India in terms of digital payments for e-bus services. Whether it’s QR code scanning, UPI transactions, or payments through the Chalo App, the city has embraced digital solutions in public transport effectively. Additionally, the app also offers discounts ranging from 5% to 10%, encouraging more commuters to go digital.
Furthermore, a multi-city mobility card (MCMC) has also been launched. This card can be used not only in the e-buses of Jammu and Srinagar but also in other transit systems like the Delhi Metro, promoting inter-city smart travel.
It is also appealed to the public to board buses only at designated stops. Despite having GPS-based official stops, many commuters still try to halt buses by waving their hands anywhere, which delays services and affects operational efficiency. To address this, new bus stops are being constructed to improve overall infrastructure and make the transport system more organized and accessible.
