New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched new to the passengers to use its ‘Metro Smart Card’ in the public transport owned by the Delhi Government to make the travel smooth and easier for the passengers. However, Delhi Metro has excluded this facility for the last mile connecting ‘Metro feeder’ buses.
The recent report was found that out of 174 buses not even a single feeder bus has the facility to purchase tickets using the metro smart card. Surprisingly, the ‘Common Mobility card’ is still a distant dream for the metro feeder buses as these buses are yet to be equipped with the ‘Electronic Ticketing Machines’.
There are currently total 174 fleets affiliated with Delhi Metro and these ply on around 42 routes. Metro has allotted four depots at Yamuna Banks, Chattarpur, Paschim Vihar West and Azadpur.
None of the buses were equipped with digital ticketing system. The conductors issued only manual tickets. No such ticketing facility is issued to us,” said a travaller.
The bus numbered with route number 307 that runs from Laxmi Nagar to Kalyanpuri.
In an another journey at West Delhi from Naraina Ring Road to Inderpuri and from Inderpuri to Todapur and Rajendra Place metro, most of the buses run on these routes do not issue tickets.
Payal Verma who travels daily from Shadipur Metro station to till Inderpuri said, “The conductors of these buses know nothing about the smart card. They even don’t give tickets even after paying. They just remember the faces of the passengers and drop them at their destination.”
Another student also shares their experience that these buses don’t give tickets and most of the time our stands get missed waiting for the conductor to give us the change. Being the smartest, DMRC should enable the smart card for its buses also.”
According to Delhi Metro, traveling up-to to 4Kms is for Rs 5.00, and from 4kms to 10 Kms it is Rs 10.00 and further above10Kms costs Rs 15.00.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has provided hand held machines to the operators. Presently, some technical issues are being faced in a few of the hand held ticketing machines which are under rectification, said DMRC.
Meanwhile, a senior officer from the Transport Department said, “It is only the Delhi Government that always thinks for the welfare of its city and people. It is shame that being the owner, the DMRC do not have the common mobility card facility. More and more, it is fun hearing that the digitized and costliest transports of our country capital do not have an ETM facility.”