Bangalore Metro to launch Common Mobility Card on pilot basis

Bengaluru (Urban Transport News): The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) is planning to launch the 'Common Mobility Card' for metro commuters on a pilot basis. Initially, the card will be launched at Baiyappanahalli and Kempegowda stations and the same card can be used in BMTC buses. The BMRC will install a pair of Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gate at Baiyappanahalli and Kempegowda stations within 3 to 4 months and those who opt to use the new mobility card can check in and check out at these gates.

In this connection, BMRC Managing Director Ajay Seth took part in a meeting in New Delhi earlier this week with officials of Road Transport, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and NITI Aayog. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) have made a presentation on the implementation of the common mobility system across the country. “The present AFC gates and our proposed Common Mobility Card work on different technologies.

Hence, that card cannot be used right now at our gates. We have nearly 7 lakh active smart card users presently”, said BMRC Managing Director Ajay Seth to TNIE. He further said that after the initial trial run at these stations, the AFC gates at its 40 other Metro stations can be remodeled and retrofitted to accept the Common Mobility Card. “We cannot discard the existing 400 AFC gates, which are all imported, across our stations. We hope to upgrade all of them, in phases, within two to three years,” he added.

However, the AFC gates which will be installed in Namma Metro Phase-II stations will already be equipped with the new technology. He said that due to the new technology to be incorporated into it, the Common Mobility Card would be priced at Rs.100 a card whereas the present Smart Card is sold at Rs.50 per card.