Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is preparing to introduce 200 air-conditioned mini-buses as feeder services for Namma Metro passengers, with a proposed conductor-less model and tap-to-pay ticketing system. The buses are planned to operate within a 5-kilometre radius of selected metro stations, with fares of either ₹5 or ₹10 under consideration.
The proposed system would allow passengers to pay for their tickets themselves at the bus entrance instead of purchasing them from a conductor. According to the plan reported by Vijay Karnataka, commuters could use contactless cards, mobile phones or QR codes to complete the payment.
A BMTC official said the government had approved 200 buses, including seven-metre mini-buses, and that the corporation was examining the use of tap-to-pay technology and flat fares because the vehicles could operate without conductors. The official’s statement was reported by Vijay Karnataka.
The planned buses are intended to improve connections between metro stations and surrounding residential areas. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport is conducting a GIS-based study to identify important metro stations that require feeder routes, according to the report. The proposed services would focus on neighbourhoods, narrow roads and locations where larger buses cannot operate easily.
For passengers, the proposed model is intended to reduce dependence on cash and address the difficulty of carrying exact change for short bus journeys. It would also create a direct digital link between metro stations and nearby residential areas, although the source report does not specify whether the same payment instrument would work across both BMTC buses and Namma Metro.
The plan also has operational implications for BMTC. By removing the conductor role from these mini-buses, the corporation expects to reduce the number of staff assigned to the services and lower wage-related operating costs. The report does not provide an estimated savings figure or state how ticket inspections, passenger assistance and enforcement would be handled on conductor-less buses.
The proposed fare structure and technology model remain under examination, rather than being presented as a final operational order. BMTC has not specified in the reported announcement the exact metro stations, feeder routes, launch date, procurement schedule or the process through which passengers without digital payment access would purchase tickets.
The planned deployment comes as Bengaluru continues to rely on feeder services to extend the reach of its metro network beyond station areas. The use of smaller buses would allow BMTC to serve streets and housing clusters that are difficult to access with standard city buses. The next milestones are expected to include route identification through the GIS study, finalisation of fares and payment arrangements, and implementation details for the 200 approved buses.
