BENGALURU
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has declined 15,000 Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) offered free by Canara Bank and decided to float a tender to procure the machines at an estimated cost of Rs 40 crore.
The ETMs were originally supplied by Pine Labs over three-and-a-half years ago, but their contract expired six months back. While the machines reportedly faced issues like battery failures and software glitches, Canara Bank offered to provide new machines under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, acknowledging BMTC’s financial constraints and large-volume banking transactions.
Despite this, BMTC chose not to accept the free ETMs and instead initiated a tender process for fresh machines. Critics have questioned the rationale behind the decision, noting that accepting the bank’s offer could have saved the corporation significant expenditure while allowing software upgrades at minimal cost.
BMTC officials defended the move, citing the need for machines with updated specifications and long-term reliability. However, the decision has drawn public attention and raised concerns over transparency in procurement and efficient use of public funds.
