Metro smart cards to get cheaper from today

Kolkata: In a bid to popularise smart cards and ease pressure on booking counters, Kolkata Metro has announced a reduction in the cost of issuing new cards and an extension of their validity to a decade. The revised business rules may come into effect from September 25.

As per an official statement, the refundable security deposit for smart cards has been cut from Rs 80 to Rs 50, while the minimum issue price has been reduced from Rs 150 to Rs 100. This means a commuter buying a new card will pay Rs 100, of which Rs 50 will serve as the security deposit and the remaining Rs 52 as travel value, inclusive of a Rs 2 bonus.

Newly-issued cards will remain valid for ten years from the date of their first use at an entry gate, instead of the current one-year period. Existing cards will automatically have their validity extended up to ten years at the time of recharge.

Metro authorities said the changes were designed to encourage more passengers to switch to smart cards, thereby cutting queues at booking counters, particularly during rush hours and festive seasons. Over 50,000 cards have already been sold this month and officials expect demand to climb once the new norms take effect.