The Delhi Metro Corporation on Tuesday unveiled the new smart cards that have been designed to look like key chains for the convenience of commuters.
The sleek new “smart key chains” can be used in the same way as normal smart cards to enter and exit metro stations by swiping on the designated space on the automatic fare collection gates.
“The decision to introduce the smart key chains was taken as many metro commuters use cars, two-wheelers or bicycles and normally use key chains which they can now replace with the new devices,” said a DMRC spokesperson.
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The new smart cards are smaller than the older version that resembles a credit card. “The older smart cards were small and could be kept in wallets; the smart key chains are much smaller (55 mm in length, 27 mm breadth and 3 mm thick) so that they can easily be carried in pockets. The corners are rounded and the sides tapered so that they do not cause cuts while being taken out. They are made with high-quality plastic and are coated with acrylic resin to make them unbreakable,” said the spokesperson.
DMRC has procured 50,000 smart key chains in the first lot and more orders will be placed depending on the demand. The smart key chains can be purchased for Rs.50 (non-refundable) at customer care centres at all the metro stations. As in the case of normal smart cards, 10 per cent discount on fares will be given on use of smart key chains.
About 15 lakh smart cards are presently in circulation. Among metro commuters, 55 per cent are smart card users while the rest use tokens.
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The Delhi Metro also launched an identity card for its station managers and controllers authorised to realise penalty from commuters violating the Delhi Metro rules and regulations in DMRC premises. The “authorised for penalty” identity card is in the form of a wallet made of leather with a DMRC brass logo of two inch diameter inside.
“Station managers and controllers had been authorised to directly impose fines from November 2008 and penalty has been imposed on about 3,000 violators since then for offences such as spitting, squatting, nuisance and defacing metro property. However, there were instances of arguments between the staff and offenders who objected to their imposing fines without any authority proof. The new identity card has been launched to address this issue,” said the spokesperson.