DMRC revises rules for Metro travel cards

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has introduced a set of changes in its smart card add value and refund rules. The new rules will come into effect from 21 May, 2014. 

It has increased the initial minimum add value of smart cards from existing Rs 50/- to Rs 100 (refundable security of Rs. 50/- is unchanged).

Subsequently, from the next transaction the minimum recharge for the smart card will be of Rs 200 while further add values can be in multiples of Rs. 100 (for example Rs. 200, 300, 400…1000-).

In case of web top-up, minimum add value amount will be Rs 100 and further recharge will be in multiple of Rs 50 (Rs 100, 150, 200, 250…… 1000).

‘As most of the smart card users today are regular travellers and with the opening of Rapid metro and more corridors of Phase 3, the maximum fare required for travel will increase as the commuters would cover more distance. Therefore, increasing the minimum add value of the cards will help the commuters as they won’t have to stand in queue & recharge their cards time and again’, read the statement from DMRC.

About 12000 smart cards are refunded every day, of which 9 per cent of smart cards are purchased and refunded on the same day. Similarly around 30 per cent of smart cards are purchased and refunded within the same month. This has resulted in a pile up of 9 lakh smart cards to be refurbished at a cost to DMRC.

Therefore, the charges for the refund of smart cards have been revised from Rs 5 to Rs 20. 

‘This measure has been taken to offset increase in cost of transaction and discourage the frequent/daily refund of smart cards,’ the statement read.