- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Sun, 28 Jul 2024 05:13 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Kolkata News: Metro Railway will implement a trial project to establish "no booking counter stations" in Taratala and Sakherbazar on the Purple Line and Kavi Sukanta on the Orange Line from August 1.
No booking counters will be available at these stations to issue new tokens or recharge pre-existing smart cards. Additionally, there won't be any booking personnel.
The passengers will instead use automatic smart card recharge machines (ASCRMs) to buy tokens, smart cards, and QR code-based tickets.
These stations were chosen based on their low traffic. Taratala has an average daily passenger count of 70, whereas Kavi Sukanta has 220 and Sakherbazar has 55.
The low footfall on these lines can be attributed to their restricted service frequency. According to the Times of India, officials stated they would examine passenger feedback and make any necessary modifications later.
The official X account of Metro Railway Kolkata announced on Tuesday that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment based ticketing system has been implemented in all orange line stations.
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UPI is a technology that merges several bank accounts into a single mobile app available from any participating bank. It incorporates multiple financial services, enabling for the simple transfer of funds and payments to merchants via a single platform.
The state's Public Works Department has accepted Rail Vikas Nigam Limited's (RVNL) plans for the Esplanade Metro station. However, building of the Purple Line's terminal station cannot begin unless the Ministry of Defence (MoD) approves the amended concept.