Online transactions, longer wait times irk passengers

New Delhi: On day one of the metro services in the capital restarting operations after a prolonged hiatus owing to the Covid-induced lockdown, mandatory online transactions for purchasing tickets left passengers in a quandary with technical glitches adding to their woes.

Jyotsna, while heading to her office in Gurugram, said she waited for around half-an-hour at the Central Secretariat station's customer care centre as repeated transactions on her smartcard went in vain. "Despite the amount having been debited from my account, the officials didn't receive a message and made me endlessly wait till they finally got the payment," she said.

According to DMRC travel protocols, tokens will not be permitted for the train journey in order to prevent the spread of the virus through touch while smartcards will be recharged only digitally (Credit/Debit/Bharat QR Code, etc.) at both Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) and the customer care centre.

Afsana, travelling towards Saket, was left pleading with the staff as she looked for someone to make a digital payment on her behalf. "Since they don't have a particular number where one can transfer the money through Paytm, I can't call up my relatives to do so," she said, adding that there should have been an alternative mechanism for people without smartphones or online payment apps.

Some passengers also reported failure in scanning barcodes for payment resulting in a delay in their trip.

Similarly, Bharti Singh, headed towards Barakhamba Road station for her exam, said she forgot her ATM card at home. "It is really important for me to find someone who can pay the amount online, else I might run late for my test," she said. Meanwhile, Harsh, another passenger, said he had never made an online transaction before

Monday.

Apart from payment issues, few passengers were largely unaware of the DMRC's plan for a graded reopening of train services. Ishaan, travelling to Shadipur (on the Blue Line) said, "I didn't know that all the metro lines haven't resumed yet and the travel is turning out to be a hassle," he said. Ajit, another passenger, said the various safety arrangements had made the

process 'slow'.

An official at Customer Care Centre said that protocols had already been released and the public should have been conscious to follow it.