New Delhi: Even as the Delhi Metro and its commuters get used to the new world order of public transportation, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chief Mangu Singh has said that the automatic fare collection system in the upcoming Phase-IV lines of the Metro will be fully compliant with the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) — a multi-purpose card intended to be used to pay for different types of transportation services. Singh added that commuters will also be able to use a mobile phone to enter or exit a station on its corridors.
Asserting that the Delhi Metro is a "modern metro system" comparable to the best in the world, he also said that these two facilities might be rolled out at the Airport Express Line by the end of this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2019 had launched the indigenously-developed NCMC to enable people to pay multiple kinds of transport charges, including for metro and bus services across the country, through a common card.
"We are working to continuously improve our system, with better technological and other interventions, to improve our rolling stocks and energy efficiency. In Ph-IV, our AFC system will fully accept the
national common mobility cards, which can be used in any cities," he said.
"Also, a mobile phone will effectively work as a smart card, and riders will be able to use to enter or exit the AFC gates, in Ph-IV lines," Singh said.
The managing director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, however, underlined that e-payment systems and technology are fast-evolving
and by the time the Ph-IV work is complete, new technologies may emerge.
Meanwhile, the DMRC said that so far over 114 passengers had been fined Rs 200 for violating social distancing norms or not wearing face covers inside trains. Moreover, officials said that around 200 commuters were counselled for not wearing their face masks properly. A majority of commuters have said they felt safe travelling in the Metro.