Bengaluru launches QR prepare ticketing service on WhatsApp • TechCrunch

WhatsApp customers within the metropolis of Bengaluru can now use the moment messaging app to buy prepare tickets and recharge their journey passes, the Meta-owned platform mentioned Monday in what it described as “the first-ever QR ticketing service” for its app.

WhatsApp and Bangalore Metro Rail Company (BMRC) mentioned they’ve partnered to launch a WhatsApp chatbot-based QR ticketing service for the town’s fast transit system named Namma Metro.

Accessible in English and Kannada, the chatbot permits commuters to buy their single-journey transit tickets, recharge metro journey move, test up to date fare tables and think about transit timetable. Commuters have to ship ‘Hello’ to the telephone quantity +918105556677 to provoke their interactions with the chatbot.

“That is one more nice instance of how organizations throughout sectors, from the biggest transportation service to the smallest retail enterprise, can rework their clients’ expertise utilizing the WhatsApp Platform,” mentioned Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India, in a ready assertion.

WhatsApp customers could make funds for his or her tickets and recharges utilizing UPI after selecting their journey particulars on the app. The QR ticket, as soon as generated, will be scanned on the terminal for contactless entry and exit.

“It’s a proud second for us as BMRCL turns into the primary transit service globally to launch QR ticketing service on WhatsApp,” mentioned A.S. Shankar, Govt Director (O&M), BMRC, in an announcement.

WhatsApp considers India as its greatest market globally, with greater than 400 million customers. Earlier this 12 months, the Meta-owned messaging service additionally bought the approval to increase its UPI-powered funds service to 100 million customers within the nation after a collection of delays and setbacks.