BMTC confirms UPI ticketing glitch, assures refunds

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has officially acknowledged a technical glitch in its UPI-based digital ticketing system. The issue, which surfaced over the past few days, caused payment failures and, in some cases, multiple deductions for a single trip.

Several commuters reported that their money was deducted from UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm, but no ticket was generated. Some passengers said they were charged twice or even thrice for the same journey. The glitch left many stranded at bus stops or forced to pay cash for alternate transport.

BMTC confirms the problem

In a statement released on Friday, BMTC officials confirmed the technical snag. “We are aware of the issue affecting our UPI-based ticketing system. Some transactions are failing despite deductions from passenger accounts. Our technical team is working to resolve it at the earliest,” the statement read.

The corporation did not specify the number of commuters affected or the total amount involved. However, sources within BMTC indicated that the glitch may have impacted thousands of daily users who rely on the digital payment option for convenience.

Refund process and timeline

BMTC has assured that all affected commuters will receive full refunds. “Passengers who faced double deductions or payment failures will be reimbursed automatically. No separate claim needs to be filed,” an official said. The corporation expects the refunds to be processed within 7–10 working days.

For manual intervention, BMTC has set up a dedicated helpline at 1800-425-1661 and an email ID — bmtcfeedback@karnataka.gov.in — for query resolution. Commuters are advised to keep transaction IDs handy for faster assistance.

How the glitch happened

Preliminary investigations suggest a server-side error in the payment gateway integration. The system failed to synchronise transaction status between the UPI app and BMTC’s backend. As a result, payments were deducted but the ticket issuance command did not go through.

BMTC’s digital ticketing system, launched in 2023, uses QR codes validated by conductors. The system was designed to reduce cash handling and speed up boarding. However, this is not the first time the system has faced technical hiccups. A similar issue was reported in early 2025 during peak festival travel.

What commuters should do

Until the glitch is fully resolved, BMTC has advised passengers to carry some cash as backup. Digital payment users are urged to check their transaction history and report any discrepancies immediately. The corporation has also instructed conductors to manually issue tickets in case of system failure.

For now, BMTC has not disabled the UPI option. Officials said they are confident of deploying a patch within 48 hours. The technical team is working with the payment gateway provider to prevent recurrence.

Commuters can expect a system-wide update by next week. BMTC will issue a follow-up advisory once the fix is live and all refunds are processed.