From this Friday, use Metro card for your bus-rides too!
Come August 24, and you'll be able to use your metro card for paying for your bus rides! The project, 'Common Mobility Card', which has already been delayed by five months, will finally see the light of the day in three days' time. This makes Delhi the first city in India to have an e-purse travel system that allows transactions for as low as Rs. 5.
The card can be used in all DTC, cluster buses
Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said yesterday that the card can be used in all DTC and cluster buses. For using it, one just has to present the metro card to the bus conductor, who will swipe it on the machine and the fare will be deducted automatically. For discussing the launch date, Gahlot held a high-priority meeting yesterday with DMRC, DTC and DIMTS officials.
"Directed officers to start campaigns to make people aware"
In the meeting attended by DMRC MD Mangu Singh, DTC MD Manoj Kumar, DIMTS MD M Rajshekhar and transport department officials, Gahlot directed "officers to start advertisement campaigns so people are aware of the service." This move is definitely welcoming as buses in Delhi carry more passengers than metro. As per government record, metro's daily ridership is around 26L, whereas buses carry about 35L.
Project missed two deadlines; DTC unable to procure chips
"Hence, the common mobility card project is vital to integrate the city's two biggest public transport systems," Gahlot said. Notably, CM Arvind Kejriwal had announced in January the project would be launched on April 1, which didn't happen. The second deadline of April-end was missed too because DTC was unable to procure the secure access module chips that are needed to enable payment system.
Currently, DTC is importing chips from South Korea
Currently, DTC is importing the chips from South Korea, 2,000 of which had already arrived in May, while "3,000 more arrived recently." "The process took time because in a single day, DMRC can calibrate only 150 ETMs (electronic ticketing machine)," said a DTC official. DIMTS is, however, not facing any such issue because its ETMs already have the e-payment feature embedded.
'After Nirav Modi scam, RBI stopped quasi-bank guarantee instruments'
Another reason for the delay is the Nirav Modi scam. "After the scam, the RBI stopped quasi-bank guarantee instruments such letters of undertaking and letter of comfort. So, the concessionaire had to find alternative payment methods to the vendor in South Korea," an official said.
In January, facility started in 250 select city buses
In January, Delhi government had started this facility for 250 select city buses, of which 200 were DTC buses and 50 were cluster. In the trial, the ETMs, which are currently used for generating tickets, were tested for the payment option, where the money would first go to the DMRC, who'll later transfer the same to the Delhi government, which already has RBI's permission.
