Kolkata: The Kolkata Metro rolled out UPI payment-based ticketing system on the Esplanade to Howrah Maidan stretch of East-West Metro Corridor. This system is already operational on the Sealdah to Salt Lake Sector V stretch of the same corridor.
The facility was made available from May 21. All ticket booking counters at four stations of Green Line 2 i.e. from Howrah Maidan to New Esplanade are now enabled with UPI payment based ticketing system.
This system has also been introduced in Automatic Smart Card Recharge Machines (ASCRM) in Howrah Maidan and Howrah stations of Green Line-2. Metro Railway authorities with the help of State Bank of India and Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) have introduced this Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-Based Ticketing System.
This system was introduced in Automatic Smart Card Recharge Machine (ASCRM) in Park Street station of Blue Line on May 20.
In order to avail this facility, after naming the destination, commuters will be able to scan the QR Code displayed on the Dual Display Board at the ticket counters and make the payment with the help of their smartphones. After receiving the payment, QR Code-Based Paper Ticket will be generated and commuters will be able to travel with that ticket. Commuters will also be able to recharge their Smart Cards with the help of this system.
This facility will also be extended in the Blue Line, Purple Line and Orange Line soon. “Necessary arrangements for implementing this facility in these Corridors are being made,” Metro authorities stated.
Commuters are hopeful that this initiative will help in reducing the long queues and fasten the time taken to get tokens or smart cards. According to Metro staff, the shortage of currency notes and coins at Metro counters used to lead to a problem in the ticketing system.
This, according to the staff, will reduce with the introduction of the UPI-based ticketing system, which has gained popularity amongst the users.