Hyderabad: Smart cards to be issued to Hyderabad Metro Rail passengers can track the time they spend on the platform and in travelling. If they are found to be staying beyond a certain time, money will be deducted from the card.
This means that instead of paying for one trip, dilly-dallying at the station would cost the passenger a second trip.
A senior officer who is involved in costing said, “This is being done to control the crowd in the paid-entry areas, and to ensure that no one is wasting time on the platform or inside the train.”
The platfrom has two levels. The unpaid first level will be used as a walkway and will house commercial outlets and ATMs where there are no restrictions. Passengers can enter the paid level by swiping the ticket/card and go through a security check. The calculation of time begins at this stage.
After the card is swiped, the passenger has to climb to the second level to the platform where the train arrives, board it and travel. The time the passenger leaves the destination station can be tracked. Those who do not check out in a reasonable time will be docked the cost of another trip.
“We are doing this to avoid nuisance. If the passengers want to use the card to travel to and fro, they are welcome but the price will be known to them through the deductions or when they are charged at the end of the journey.”
These aspects are being worked out as the cost of the ticket is being finalised. L&T Metro Rail is finalising the prices and will send it to Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited for discussion.
