The Reliance Infrastructure-led Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL) has announced that it will issue 5 lakh smart cards and 4 lakh smart tokens for passengers who will be using Mumbai’s first metro rail once it is opened to the public.
The contactless smart card will be similar to a debit card, with a magnetic strip on the rear side. It will be a prepaid card which can hold credit of up to Rs10,000. What’s better, holders have the choice to personalise their smart cards by getting their names and photographs printed on them.
As high footfalls are expected at the metro stations, the Automatic Fare Collection gate has been tested to clear 45 commuters per minute, which translates to one commuter every 1.33 seconds.
The passenger, while entering the paid area of the metro station, will have to swipe the smart card to gain entry. Similarly, while exiting, the gate will read the card and automatically deduct the value of the distance travelled.
In case of a smart token, the passenger will have to insert it into the Token Accepting Slot at the exit gate panel, only after which the passenger will be allowed to leave the metro station.
With an option to integrate the same card with other modes of transport in the future, the smart card can be used as a multipurpose card for all transport services that operate on the Automatic Fare Collection technology.
“It is our ongoing endeavour to provide Mumbaikars a next-generation transport system.
Incorporating state-of-the-art systems and technology like automatic fare collection, contactless smart cards and contactless smart tokens will provide comfort, swiftness and utility to the commuters. We want to make sure that commuters get a hassle-free journey each time,” said an MMOPL spokesperson.
How it will work
The passenger, while entering the paid area of the metro station, will have to swipe the smart card to gain entry.
Similarly, while exiting, the gate will read the card and deduct the value of the distance travelled.
In case of a smart token, the passenger will have to insert it into the Token Accepting Slot at the exit gate panel, and only then will he/she be allowed to exit.
