Chennai Metro to allow use of bank cards at automatic fare gate in phase II
The Hindu
Chennai Metro Rail to introduce open loop ticketing system, allowing commuters to use debit/credit cards at automatic ticket gates to pay fare. Queues at ticket counters to be eliminated. National Common Mobility Card already functioning. QR code tickets and WhatsApp tickets gaining traction, but glitches remain. Account-based ticketing to be implemented in phase I project. Tap debit/credit cards at fare gates to avoid issues.
When commuters travel by Chennai Metro Rail lines in phase II project, standing in queues to buy a ticket or recharge the travel card will be a thing of the past as they will be able to use their debit or credit cards at the automatic ticket gates to pay for the fare.
Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) officials say they have been trying to bring in full-fledged open loop ticketing system and gradually discontinue the tokens in future. “Using the open loop ticketing system, the recently launched National Common Mobility Card is functioning. We want to bring in the system wherein commuters can use debit or credit cards directly at the automatic ticket gates to pay for the fare without waiting at the counter,” an official said.
In the phase I system, tokens, travel cards, QR code and WhatsApp tickets are available. Travel cards remain the most popular among the commuters followed by QR code tickets now. With average number of passengers traveling daily on weekdays touching 2.90 lakh a day, the queues are getting longer at the ticket counters.
Sources said it was imperative to make buying of tickets easy for commuters now itself. While there are plans to introduce account-based ticketing wherein passengers can use debit or credit cards directly in the phase I project, it is not clear when it will be implemented. “Though the QR code tickets and WhatsApp tickets are gradually gaining traction, many face glitches. Such issues can be done away with if commuters can just tap their debit or credit cards at the automatic fare gate,” another official added.
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