The pandemic 2020 has brought the Delhi Metro to its Knees. It’s been 5 months since it was last operational and its employees are ever since sitting home. However, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is constantly working to find out new ways to popularise cashless and contactless travel once the metro gets functional for the public once again. Even though the day seems a bit far, the efforts are in full swing. It launched a new type of smart card, which will an auto top-up option for the commuters.
Delhi Metro Automatic Fare Collection
This New Smart Card with Auto Recharge Feature comes as a sign of relief as the earlier one had to manually top up at the kiosks on the metro station. DMRC has collaborated with AutoPe to launch a “Zero Human Intervention” card. This card will nullify the need to stand in the long queues for getting the metro card recharged whenever its balance is low. One can use the AutoPE app or even the website with this new smart card to be able to set up an auto-debit facility.
This means that whenever you scan the card at the entry gate of the metro station or the Automatic Fare Collection Gate (AFC) of the Delhi Metro Stations and your balance comes below ₹100, the card will automatically get recharged by ₹200 for giving you a seamless experience of uninterrupted journeys. The AutoPe app will help you link your smart card to a credit card/bank account or UPI.
“This new feature empowers a commuter to get his/her smart card auto topped up at AFC (entry) gates across the network which will help him/her to have seamless travel without worrying about top-up from time to time,” as reported by Dr. Mangu Singh, Managing Director, DMRC.
How to Get New Smart Card with Auto-Recharge Feature?
This initiative of Delhi Metro automatic fare collection is a great effort by the DMRC. We will tell you how you can get your own New Smart Card with Auto-Recharge Feature.
Even though it’s been more than 5 months since the Delhi Metro was operational, DMRC is making full efforts to help make travel contactless and safe for the commuters.
DMRC will begin offering these new smart cards with auto-recharge feature once the government gives orders for the re-opening of the metro. But if you want to be prepared beforehand, you can get the smart card home delivered. This Delhi metro automatic fare collection card will be delivered at the comfort of your home by clicking on this link as here you can apply for the new smart card. This card won’t be a replacement for your existing metro card. The existing cards will still be in use but won’t have the auto top-up feature.
Once you get your smart card delivered to your home, you will have to download the AutoPe app from the Apple app store or Google Play. Then you will have to register your new metro card and then set up the auto-debit. You only need to do it once and then you are good to go. It can also be done on AutoPe’s Website.
Autope will charge a small convenience fee (about 1%) for each of the transactions from the customers. Also providing a card customization service and a 5% discount on each of the top-ups, this is a great advantage for the regular commuters.
What do you think about this welcome change by the Delhi Metro? Let us know.