Missing tickets throw DMTCL efficiency into question

Some 200,000 single-journey tickets (SJTs) of metro rail went missing in the last two years, causing losses of around Tk 60 million and raising questions about Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited's (DMTCL) functionality and efficiency.
Over 250 cards went missing every day on average in this period, meaning nearly 65 per cent of the stock purchased by DMTCL, formed for managing all kinds of mass rapid transit (MRT) operations, was finished.
In light of this, experts also expressed concern about the security of the country's first high-tech urban electric trains.
"When passengers swipe their tickets at the concourse gates, DMTCL's system records their travel data. How did such a huge quantity of SJTs go missing? Besides, why could officials not take steps shortly after analysing the data of each day's operations?" said one of them, raising eyebrows over the claim of 200,000 missing SJTs.
He claimed SJTs had been mismanaged and the state-owned company could not manage the remaining 113,000 SJTs, creating scarcity at different stations.
In May this year, 17 months after MRT-6 operations were launched, DMTCL disclosed that SJTs had gone missing.
This caused a dearth of SJTs for passengers who use metro services infrequently and do not have the MRT or Rapid Pass. They usually buy SJTs from vending machines at stations.
DMTCL, with its remaining SJT stock, could not meet these passengers' increasing demand for tickets at all 16 stations from Uttara to Motijheel. 350,000 people on average travel by metro daily at present, of which 40-45 per cent use SJTs.
Experts said MRT-6's automatic fare collection system keeps records of all cards' entry and exit to calculate fares. If a ticket has been swiped to enter a station and its exit has not been recorded, the information will be visible in the system, which will alert the department concerned to take action.
This data could also tell them where the demand for SJTs is high, helping them with the proper and timely distribution of tickets that move around from one station to another, according to data analysts.
"The cards, costing around Tk 300 each, have chips inside. The chips transfer data to the Diabari server to keep records of daily use soon after the cards are swiped at the entry and exit gates," said an official of the MRT project.
DMTCL officials claimed the 200,000 SJTs had gone missing over time and without their notice.
Having failed to be guided by the server data, they assumed passengers either took the tickets away as souvenirs or did not return many of those bought in advance to be used for the next couple of days in order to avoid daily purchases by waiting in long queues at vending machines.
When asked about the server data, DMTCL Managing Director Mohammad Abdur Rouf said they got it late. He, however, denied the claim that the cards had gone missing, saying almost 100,000 SJTs were damaged due to poor handling by passengers.
He also said the quality of SJTs purchased from Japan was not good.
DMTCL had bought 313,000 SJTs and 729,200 MRT passes under one of its contracts before MRT-6 was launched partially on December 31, 2022.
Transport expert Professor Md Shamsul Hoque said the data collected from the two types of tickets help the metro rail operator make many day-to-day decisions and take action to increase the efficiency of operation and maintenance.
"In light of the missing SJTs, it seems DMTCL did not assess the daily data either for not giving it the due importance or because of a lack of manpower and expertise," he told The Financial Express.
The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology professor, whose membership from the DMTCL board was withdrawn by the past Sheikh Hasina-led government, did not rule out the possibility of pilferage or a lack of security as well as irresponsibility on the part of those working at the company.
Shamsul also stressed hiring employees with technical knowledge and allowing a private company to operate and maintain MRT-6 for efficient functioning.
Formed in 2013, DMTCL took charge of the operation and maintenance of MRT-6 amid a lack of manpower and experience in such systems.
The country's first MRT was developed with all kinds of technical and financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Since its inception, DMTCL has been dominated by bureaucrats as the former managing director made the company a den of retired government officials and those on deputation.
However, the interim government has taken measures to reform the company by selecting a qualified individual, who has the required technical skills and expertise, as the managing director.

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