With a fleet of about 6,800 buses, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is currently the largest urban transport organisation in the country. It is the sole public bus transport provider in Bengaluru and serves around 5.2 million passengers on a daily basis. In addition, it runs 39 depots, 50 bus stations and employs over 36,000 people. 

The increasing customer base and high volume of operations have resulted in a huge amount of data accumulating on the company’s system, which needs to be properly managed and adequately utilised. According to Kumar Pushkar, director, IT, BMTC, “The amount of data generated every day is very huge and hence, several software applications are required for office procedure automation, fleet management, passenger service management and revenue management.” To this end, BMTC created an IT wing in January 2013 to develop systems and procedures and improve the overall efficiency of operations. 

tele.net takes a look at the IT upgradation at BMTC in recent years, the applications currently in use and the future IT infrastructure expansion plans… 

Establishing an IT department

The company established an IT department in early 2013, which has since undertaken several projects. These include hosting and maintenance of the corporation’s website (www.mybmtc.com), which delivers news and updates, information on bus rentals and easy trip planners; migration from Gmail to the managed mail server (mybmtc.com); development and implementation of the Estate and Land Management software and the MIS dashboard application; deployment of the Training Information System; development of a geographic information system software, e-Sarige, for the management of BMTC’s properties; and development and implementation of a tracking application, Nimma Snehitha. 

On the infrastructure front, BMTC has migrated to fibre-based internet connectivity for its central head office and central stores. CCTV cameras, which are connected to the control room to provide live streaming, have been installed on most of the buses. 

BMTC has hired two network and database engineers each to manage the security and network. Further, the company has entered into a managed service contract with Tata Teleservices Limited, under which the operator will provide multiprotocol label switching connectivity to BMTC’s 60 locations. The contract is currently being implemented. 

Enhancing efficiency of office procedures

BMTC has deployed several applications and software solutions for streamlining business practices and achieving system efficiencies, such as an accounting software (Profit Plus), a software for salary disbursement, and another stand-alone system for stores management.

For better management of the attendance status of 32,000 drivers and conductors, leave management touchscreen kiosks have been set up at different bus depots. Such a system provides flexibility for depot managers to plan the crew requirement for operations. 

Further, BMTC uses the intelligent transportation system (ITS), which has helped it to monitor and manage office procedures and on-road operations better. A depot management system has been established under the ITS for efficient crew and vehicle management. There are 6,500 vehicle tracking systems as part of the IT-based model. 

Challenges and the way forward

According to Pushkar, the biggest challenge for the company, in particular, and the industry, in general, is the suitability and implementation of IT solutions in a non-IT sector like transportation. Most of the applications at BMTC are being developed on an outsourced basis, under the supervision and direction of the company’s internal team. Ensuring effective and practical use of these applications in daily operations is a big task for the company. However, Kumar is satisfied with the level of application deployment that has taken place at BMTC. He says, “The leave management system, management information system dashboard and website have all been put to effective use. Support from the top management and the board of directors is essential and at BMTC, we have received full support for our IT initiatives.”