Digital bus passes to be out in 2 weeks, CUMTA issues detailed guidelines

CHENNAI: The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has issued detailed operating procedures for conductors, inspectors and transport officials ahead of the roll out of fully digital monthly passes for MTC buses. The new passes, available on the Chennai One app, are priced at Rs 1,000 for the gold tier and Rs 2,000 for the diamond tier. Special Officer I Jayakumar said the passes will be launched within the next two weeks. MTC currently issues passes at 54 locations. Now, commuters can access them from their homes, he said. We have also relaxed the validity of passes. The digital pass will be valid for 30 days from the date of purchase, he added. Chennai alone has about one lakh gold pass users, and CUMTA expects uptake to rise once the digital versions are introduced. Under the new system, frontline staff will check the digital pass displayed on the passengers phone, verify the photograph, and ensure that the correct category has been purchased. The gold pass will continue to be valid on all non-AC services, while the diamond pass covers AC buses as well. The system relies on real-time validation: passengers must scan the QR code or OTP sticker displayed inside each bus upon boarding, enabling journey logs to be linked to the pass. Officials have been instructed to confirm the scan and, if required, verify the bus number shown on the digital pass. Each pass displays a visible expiry date and a live timestamp to prevent misuse. CUMTA has also incorporated animated security markers that move when the phone is tilted, helping staff distinguish genuine passes from screenshots or static images. The Metropolitan Transport Corporation dominates Chennais bus transport, operating a vast network of 2,421 km. MTC services carry an average daily ridership of 31.8 lakh passengers as of 2024, supplemented by mofussil and private services that extend connectivity to peripheral regions. The corporation operates more than 690 named routes and serves 5,608 bus stops across the city. Factfile The MTC fleet has declined from a peak of 3,987 buses in 2015 to 3,352 in 2024 - a 16% drop, before recovering slightly to 3,481 in 2025 The average age of buses has risen since 2020, with around 20% of the fleet classified as over-aged The population within a 500m catchment of bus routes has grown by 18% since 2011, while the fleet has not kept pace Operational challenges include long, indirect routes, extended waiting times and overcrowding on several corridors (Source: Comprehensive Mobility Plan)