Delhi Metro: At present, about 22 lakh passengers travel in the metro every day. Of these, 75 percent passengers travel in the metro through smart cards. The advantage of this is that the passengers do not have to stand in line for the token.
These days there is a shortage of smart cards at many stations of Delhi Metro. Because of this, passengers are facing difficulty in getting a new smart card. In view of this, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will procure 30 lakh new smart cards from various vendors. The process for this has been started. With the arrival of new smart cards, the needs of the next six and a half months will be fulfilled.
75 percent passengers travel in metro through smart card
Before Corona, about 30 lakh passengers used to travel daily in the metro. At present, about 22 lakh passengers travel in the metro every day. Of these, 75 percent passengers travel in the metro through smart cards. The advantage of this is that the passengers do not have to stand in line for the token. After having the facility of smart card online recharge, through this the facility of fare payment in metro has become even more easy. Only 25% of the passengers pay the fare through tokens.
Lack of smart cards for passengers at many stations
For the past few days, passengers are unable to get smart cards at many stations. Because of this, passengers have to buy cards from any other station. DMRC says that about 14,000 smart cards are issued daily to passengers from all the 286 stations in the Delhi Metro network. A stock of 20 days is always kept to meet this requirement of the passengers.
So far, a total of three crore smart cards have been issued.
For a few days now, the vendor is facing problem in getting the semiconductor chip used in the smart card. Due to this a slight shortage of smart cards has been felt at some stations. Delhi Metro has so far issued a total of three crore smart cards to the passengers. Keeping in view the current requirements, 30 lakh smart cards will be procured in a phased manner in the next few months. So that there is no shortage of cards at stations.
