At a time when people make UPI payments in a jiffy, several Chennai Metro Rail commuters lament that they are still forced to pay cash in stations to recharge their National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC).
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In April 2023, Chennai Metro Rail introduced the NCMC cards. At present, the commuters are using the card for travel in Chennai Metro Rail network. In future, it can be swiped at MTC buses, suburban trains or for shopping at retail outlets. Months after it was launched, Chennai Metro Rail persuaded commuters to buy the card instead of the popular smart card. The number of users of the card rose and by March 2024, 13.95 lakh commuters were using NCMC cards.
Balu S., one of the regular travellers in Chennai Metro Rail system, said that it was a frustrating exercise to scramble for cash at the time of recharging NCMC. “They should have launched the card after ensuring all modes of payment are accepted from commuters. Even a few days back, when I went to recharge the card, the staff insisted on cash. A commuter, who is in a hurry to work, will not have the time to collect cash from an ATM and return to the station to travel,” he said.
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Another frequent commuter, Balaji S., said after the pandemic, thousands of people made payments mostly through UPI and hence, when CMRL makes restrictions, with respect to modes of payment, it ends up causing a lot of inconvenience for commuters.
According to the officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited, they accept UPI payments for all other tickets. But for NCMC, it has not been implemented yet. The officials said a software modification has to be completed to accept UPI and card payments for NCMC.
“UPI payments for NCMC will be activated shortly. We are looking into the issue to ensure passengers have seamless ticket purchasing experience,” an official said.