Metro, monorail, bus or train, one smart card for all

Metro, monorail, bus or train, one smart card for all

Swapnil Rawal

Posted: Friday , Feb 05, 2010 at 2350 hrs

Mumbai: 

A single smart card will enable the payment of fares for multiple modes of transport: the Metro, the monorail, buses of various municipal bodies and the suburban railway.

The Unified Mumbai Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMMTA) is working on the smart card, the need triggered by the yearend schedule for the opening of the Metro and the monorail.

The UMMTA, through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), plans a study before chalking out a plan to proceed with the “seamless” payment option.

“Seamless payment is the need of the hour. We’ve had discussions at UMMTA’s recent meeting and also asked all stakeholders for suggestions. We plan to have a study on the seamless payment for which we’re seeking World Bank’s funds,” said K Vijayalakshmi, additional chief, UMMTA.

Sized like a credit card, such smarts cards are embedded with a chip with details of the holder and an electronic purse with details of money. When the commuter enters a train or a bus, he can hold the card close to the reader in a contact-less system.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/metro-monorail-bus-or-train-one-smart-card-for-all/575782/