Common ticketing system in TN: QR code-enabled tickets announced

CHENNAI: A common ticket to travel on MTC buses, Metro Rail and suburban trains will soon become a reality as Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy announced QR code-enabled ticketing system.

Making the announcements in the Assembly on Thursday, Muthusamy said Journey Planner mobile application would be launched at Rs 15 crore. Using the QR code-enabled tickets, commuters can interchange between buses, Metro trains and suburban trains.

The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) had recently approved a study on implementing the common ticketing system during a recent meeting.

The Minister noted that only seven per cent of the total area of the State is covered by master plans. During a review, Chief Minister MK Stalin instructed the department to expand the areas covered by master plans to 22 per cent. “Based on this, master plans for 23 cities will be prepared and 112 master plans will be announced,” Muthusamy said.

He also announced that plots, houses, and apartments constructed by Tamil Nadu Housing Board would be allocated to beneficiaries on first-come-first-serve basis. In another initiative, old documents related to approved plans and other documents would be scanned to store them digitally under the e-governance system.

Meanwhile, Minister PK Sekarbabu said the CMDA would spruce up 5 km beachfront along Tiruvottiyur at a cost of Rs 30 crore, and the Kasimedu beach at Rs 6 crore. The other initiatives he announced in the Assembly on Thursday includes 5-km long cycle track and walkway from Neelankarai to Akkarai at a cost of Rs 20 crore; a 50-acre urban forest at Siruseri; physical exercise parks in Minjur, Vellalur, Tirunageshwaram and Mudichur along Outer Ring Road (ORR);

Like the existing online facility for building plan permission, the CMDA would implement online approval system for layouts. Sekarbabu added that transferrable development rights would be implemented to protect heritage buildings.