NEC Corporation India was honoured at the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 ceremony on September 27. The event was organised under the Smart Cities Mission of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. NEC Corporation India was recognised as one of the top three Master System Integrators (MSIs) under the smart city segment. The company bagged the second position as the MSI partner agency for its Surat Bus Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) project.
The IT and network communication company’s award-winning Surat Bus AFCS has eased citywide commuting for riders by utilising contactless RuPay-based smart cards meant to improve the daily travel experience for around 2,00,000 commuters.
“I am immensely proud of NEC India’s significant strides in the urban mobility sector. This award speaks volumes about NEC’s pioneering initiatives that champion sustainability, inclusiveness, and the advancement of the country’s smart city vision,” Aalok Kumar, President and CEO of NEC Corporation India said. He received the award from Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Kumar stated that Surat’s evolution into a smart city model is extremely admirable. One of the city’s numerous amenities is the seamless integration of its public transit systems, which has made it a model for others to follow.
He also thanked the Central government for entrusting key smart city initiatives to NEC India. He further assured to deliver safe, smart and secure solutions that will help India expand and satisfy the requirements of its billion-plus population.
Surat AFCS is a SMART solution under the smart city project. NEC completed the system in 2029 and has already maintained its operations for seven years, demonstrating its commitment to simplified public transport. Commuters in Surat can now transit across the city with a single ticket, regardless of mode of transportation, thanks to NEC’s extensive work in the city.
This programme has given the Surat Municipal Corporation the ability to combine its multiple transit systems, including BRTS and city bus services, along high mobility routes. Surat Money Card (SMC) includes numerous AFCS capabilities, providing smooth operations across 157 BRTS stations, 166 BRTS, and 575 city buses.
Further, by reducing the usage of paper tickets, the SMC promotes Surat’s environmental goals while offering users with benefits across municipal services and stores. Notably, daily ridership increased from 28,000 in 2014 to 210,000 in 2022, while daily transactions using the Surat Money Card increased exponentially from zero in 2018 to 72,754 in 2022.
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