Delhi Metro passengers will soon be able
to use debit and credit cards, near field communication (NFC), QR code-based
ticketing through mobile phones and paper QR tickets as payment modes apart from cash and its travel smart card.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has started
installing an Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system at 44 stations. The new AFC system will use latest technology and existing
systems will also be upgraded.

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The
system on all the corridors will be upgraded as someone entering the DMRC
network from a Phase IV station will need the same system to exit from stations
with AFC systems from Phase I, II and III.

Due
to this reason, the standalone Airport Express Line got the system first. The Airport
Express Line’s AFC system is not connected with the main network.

The primary objective of the enhancement if the AFC
system is to promote more digitisation of services.

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The DMRC is upgrading the AFC firmware, which
will allow passengers to use their credit or debit card as a smart card. At
present only Kochi and Nagpur metro have the facility but only for debit/credit
cards of particular banks.

DMRC’s new system will allow transactions from all
banks through the Rupay portal.

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The new system would also help create more “fare
zones” in the Metro network, which helps in determining the fare to be deducted
from the smart card based on distance travelled and in the case of token users,
if they have travelled a longer distance than they have paid for.

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At present, there are 32 fare zones in the system.
Due to the increase in the Metro network, it is necessary to upgrade the number
of fare zones from 32 to 64 and upgrade the number of maximum stations in the
system to 512.

The new system will allow penalty deductions through
smart cards. Currently, during exit a passenger needs to pay a higher amount for
the longest travel, a stay too long or no ticket. In this case, the passenger
has to go to customer care and pay the supplement amount by cash, even if they
have enough balance on their card. The aim of this function is to make
passengers able to use the card to pay the adjustment.