Passenger counting cameras in buses to check ticketing fraud

NEW DELHI: In a step towards curbing revenue losses in buses’ operations, the Delhi Transport Department is set to introduce Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) cameras in its upcoming fleet of electric buses. Officials said the new system will debut with the launch of Mohalla EV buses under the Delhi Electric Vehicles Interface (DEVI) scheme in the coming days.

According to officials, the APC cameras will be installed at both entry and exit doors of these nine-meter-long low-floor electric buses. The sensors and counters embedded in the cameras will automatically record the number of passengers boarding and exiting from the bus during each shift.

This data will be transmitted in real time to servers maintained by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). The move follows massive operational losses suffered by the, as flagged in a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Officials involved in the project said this is the first time such advanced camera-based monitoring systems are being deployed in Delhi’s public buses.

“The core objective behind the installation of APC cameras is to ensure that the number of tickets issued by conductors matches the actual passenger count.

The data will also be stored locally within a device in the bus for a limited period and will remain accessible on the server until manually deleted by the operating company,” a senior transport department official said.

Officials said the APC system will also provide a yardstick on the number of passengers travelling on a particular route.

“The system would provide an estimate of the passenger traffic on different routes. This information can help the corporation with optimizing routes as we can add more buses on stretches with high commute,” the official added.

While the initiative is currently being tested in feeder buses under DEVI scheme, officials said that the deployment of APC cameras will be expanded to the upcoming regular electric bus fleet as well.