Hyderabad, Feb. 19 -- Telangana Government State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is set to issue "Mahalakshmi smart cards" to replace the use of Aadhaar cards for zero tickets, or fare-free tickets, on buses. The card will be launched as a pilot scheme in a few mandals from March 1 before being launched statewide.

These smart cards will solve any technical issues being faced currently by conductors, and also prevent people from other states from availing the free bus scheme by using fake Aadhaar cards.

According to a report by NewsMeter Telugu, the cards will have chips embedded in them, which will allow conductors to issue zero tickets by tapping the card on a new type of intelligent ticket issuing machines (iTIM).

The new system ...