The usage of smart cards by commuters of Chennai Metro Rail is on the rise and this is triggered by an overall increase in the number of people using the services.
The Chennai Metro ridership witnessed a boost after the floods in the city last month, officials said. Though tokens are still sold out largely, six months after the first service, smart cards are now being preferred as there are people who travel more frequently than before.
“After the floods, the average passenger traffic has grown from about 8,000-9,000 a day to 12,000 a day. Nowadays, we find that smart cards are beginning to sell well than earlier. For instance, 500-600 cards per station are being sold now, about 100 more than a few months ago,” an official said.
The Chennai Metro Rail, built at a cost of Rs. 14,600 crore, launched its first service between Koyambedu and Alandur — a distance of 10 kilometres only in July after five years of work.
The fares for this stretch range between Rs. 10 and Rs. 40 for ordinary class, while for special class, it is between Rs. 20 and Rs. 80.
‘Common ticketing system’
Months after the launch, to give a boost to ridership, they started issuing special trip cards to commuters. Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) officials said smart cards were important to encourag in the city.
They added that they had incorporated 12 features in the card for the convenience of commuters, including its use in Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses and even in shopping malls, but this is yet to be put to use.
Though officials are not happy with the passenger traffic now, they say it may improve after the stretch is extended up to St. Thomas Mount and the Chennai airport.
