Sajha Yatayat, which operates public buses in the Kathmandu valley, has launched Smart Travel Card, an electronic pre-paid card, for the commuters. The smart card service has been launched on trial basis for now on the buses operating on Lagankhel-Narayan Gopal Chowk route. Sajha Yatayat plans to introduce the electronic pre-paid card system on all 16 buses after a month.

The card, which was made public on Monday amid a programme, costs Rs 200 with a balance of Rs 50. One can top up the balance as required – just the way one tops up balance on mobile phones.

According to Mahendra Raj Pandeya, acting manager at Sajha Yatayat, the smart card will make it easy for passengers, as they do not have to pay cash every time they use the Sajha buses. The electronic card will also help in maintaining transparency.

To pay the bus fare, passengers have to insert their card in a machine installed at both doors of the bus while entering and exiting. The card reader will automatically calculate the distance travelled and deduct the fare. Once the card is bought, there is no need to renew it.

Officials said that the cards introduced by Sajha Yatayat can also be used to pay bills at restaurants, department stores and cinema halls among other places.

“But the cards that we have introduced now on trial basis can be used for travelling only,” said Pandeya.

The e-card system is widely used in India and other developed countries in the world. Sajha Yatayat also plans to introduce card system on other buses which it will purchase later as per an agreement signed with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City in August.

Sajha Yatayat has been operating 10 buses on New Buspark-Chakrapat-Tripureshwor-Lagankhel route and six on Syambhu-Kalanki-Tripureshwor-Kamalpokhari-Gaushala-Airport route.

Sajha Yatayat is also planning to introduce mobile apps to inform passengers about route and schedule.

Bus service for ministers proposed

KATHMANDU: Sajha Yatayat has forwarded a proposal to ferry ministers from their quarters to offices during office hours in view of ongoing fuel crisis. Kanak Mani Dixit, chairman of Sajha Yatayat, on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to this effect, proposing that Sajha Yatayat could provide its services to ministers to ferry them from their quarters in Pulchowk to offices at 8am and vice-versa at 4pm. Sajha Yatayat, however, is yet to get the response from the government.

Two more routes added

KATHMANDU: Sajha Yatayat has extended its services on two more routes from Sunday. Officials said two buses (Ba 1 Kha 2220 and Ba 1 Kha 2021) that operate on Lagankhel-New Buspark route now will provide services up to Budanilakantha. Two other buses (Ba 1 Kha 2223 and Ba 1 Kha 2224) that were operating on Airport-Kalanki route will provide services up to Tribhuwan Park in Thankot.