Chennai metro installs tap-and-go card readers for passengers

CHENNAI: A soap box-sized tap-and-go device for smartcard top-ups will protect passengers from contracting Covid-19 infections by minimising contact during metro train rides when CMRL resumes operations on Monday.
The travel card readers have been installed at all the 32 stations for passengers to tap their smartcards for top-up, check balance or view travel history.
CMRL has revised its train timings to 7am to 8pm, instead of its earlier plan to operate from 8am to 8pm, following feedback from office-goers.
State industries minister M C Sampath said the card reader has been introduced to prevent people from queuing up at ticket counters. The reader along with the new QR-code ticket service, which will enable passengers to purchase train tickets through cashless payments in their smartphone, will minimise passengers’ contact with staff and ticket vending machines at the station as well as with save time. “With these facilities, the chances of the infection spreading is very less and we are confident there won’t be any issues during train operations,” the minister responded to a question at a press meet on opening metro services when infections continue to be high in the state. The minister inspected the various measures taken by CMRL to protect passengers against infection, ahead of resuming operations.
Metro rail MD Pradeep Yadav said all 32 stations will have two travel card readers at the concourse level where passengers, who had done a web-top through CMRL app, could update their smartcard by placing it behind the device for a few seconds. “Passengers whose smartcard validity has expired could also use the card reader to reactivate their cards,” he said.
Earlier, around 60% passengers were buying single journey tokens. CMRL now encourages them to purchase smartcards to minimise contact, as tokens are reused. “We will encourage passengers to buy smartcards or use the QR-code ticket service, through which they can book their own tickets. Use of tokens will be less,” he added. Cmrl officials said tokens, once used, will be reused after 48 hours post sanitizing them.