Metro commuters travelling in the Capital can recharge their smart card through ‘Token Vending Machines’ for as little as Rs. 100 again with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation reversing its earlier decision to make it Rs. 200.
However, the minimum amount of Rs. 100 and subsequent add value of Rs. 50 is available only through the 170 token vending machines peppered across 83 Metro stations in the city. Commuters will still have to shell out a minimum amount of Rs. 200 if they are topping up their smart cards by visiting a Customer Care centre with subsequent top ups of value of Rs. 100.
The DMRC had introduced changes in the minimum recharge value of smart cards earlier this year since most smart card users are regular travellers, said a DMRC spokesperson, adding that the maximum fare required for travel has also increased with the expansion of the network under Phase-3 and with the introduction of the Rapid Metro.
“Therefore, increasing the minimum add value of the cards will help the commuters as they won’t have to stand in queue and recharge their cards time and again,” said the spokesperson.
Yet, based on feedback and suggestions from Metro commuters the ticket vending machines will now allow commuters to top up with just Rs. 100 and there upon multiples of Rs. 50 up to Rs. 1,000.
This will apply to web top-up also on the DMRC’s website.
Currently, 70 per cent of Delhi Metro commuters are smart card users, who are able to avail a discount of 10 per cent on all their journeys by the Metro whenever they use smart cards, said the spokesperson.
Highest ridershipThe Delhi Metro also recorded its highest daily ridership of over 26 lakh on Monday which beat a record set in August 2013.
To meet the growing rush, the DMRC has put in additional automatic fare collection gates, 136 coaches have been added since last year and average speed of trains has been increased from 33 kmph to 36 kmph.
