In an effort to resolve the ongoing shortages of metro single-journey tickets as well as Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Rapid Passes, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) are set to purchase more than 400,000 tickets this month, said senior officials from both institutions.
According to their statements, DMTCL will buy one lakh single journey tickets and 50,000 MRT tickets, while DTCA will acquire three lakh Rapid Passes.
These passes will allow travel across the metro, trains, buses of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), and government-run ferries.
DMTCL Managing Director Abdur Rouf said, "At present, there is a demand for four lakh single journey tickets for the metro. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims to introduce a system where passengers can pay for all types of public transport using the same ticket. As a result, there is an increased rush for purchasing Rapid Passes instead of MRT passes. Efforts to buy tickets are currently underway."
Officials at DTCA further revealed that only around 20,000 Rapid Passes remain in stock.
Due to the shortage of single journey tickets for the metro, the sale of Rapid Passes has surged.
Once new bus routes under the Bus Route Rationalization Project and the BRT project are fully operational in Dhaka, passengers will be required to pay fares using Rapid Passes, further driving up demand for them.
DMTCL is currently negotiating with Japan's Nippon Signal Company for the purchase of four lakh single-journey tickets.
Of these, 1.25 lakh are expected to arrive between January and February.
MRT Line-6 Project Director Md Zakaria, said that DMTCL is set to receive 70,000 single journey tickets by the end of this week.
DMTCL MD stated, "Currently, there are 50,000 single journey cards available. These cards are reusable, and for single journeys, 50,000 cards are sufficient. However, if any of the cards are damaged, replacements will be required. In light of the market situation, we are procuring additional cards. We hope to receive between three to three and a half lakh single journey cards by March."
As per the contract with JICA, single journey, MRT, and Rapid Passes must be procured from specified vendors.
These tickets, which are based on Japan's Sony Felica cards, are produced by Japan's Nippon Signal Company.
Exclusive marketing of these tickets in Bangladesh is allowed only through Silkway Cards and Printing Limited in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
For the past three years, these tickets have been purchased via the Direct Procurement Method (DPM), meaning DMTCL and DTCA could not source Rapid Passes from any other companies.
DMTCL's MD also said that to alleviate the pressure on single journey tickets, the company is planning to introduce QR code-enabled paper tickets.
Passengers will be required to scan these tickets upon entry and exit.
Additionally, DMTCL is considering the implementation of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the second phase, which would allow users to pay via mobile phones, reducing the reliance on plastic cards.
"The NFC phase will take time, but until then, we will continue selling single journey tickets, as some passengers may not have access to modern technology," DMTCL MD Rouf noted.
He also highlighted that many rapid passes and MRT passes have been damaged due to passengers' carelessness.
However, the company has yet to determine the exact number of damaged cards.
In the 2015-16 fiscal year, DTCA purchased around 60 lakh cards, which were sold over the years.
Demand for rapid passes surged in December 2023, and by the end of 2024, DTCA is expected to sell around 5,000 cards per day.
DTCA sells a single rapid pass for Tk400, which includes an initial recharge of Tk200 and a deposit for the card.
Users can recharge a maximum of Tk1,000 at a time, although the balance cannot exceed Tk10,000.
