Soon: Delhi metro tokens at rly stations and vice-versa

In a bid to attract railway passengers, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is working on a plan to make available tokens at railway stations and railway tickets at metro stations.

In a bid to attract railway passengers, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is working on a plan to make available tokens at railway stations and railway tickets at metro stations.

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“Talks are on with officials to sell mutually tickets of each service. We hope we will be able to start the unique service, which would benefit both the railways and DMRC,” said Sharat Sharma, director (Operations), DMRC.

According to the plan, computerized token vending machines for selling metro tokens and smart cards will be set up at reservation counters and outets of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) at all four major railway stations - New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.

All these stations have metro stations nearby.

Similarly, railway tickets will be available at metro station counters, if the plan takes shape.

“We are exploring the modalities to see if the metro smart cards can be used as multi-purpose cards so that people can have meals at IRCTC counters and pay through the metro smart cards,” Sharma added.

This unique initiative will help increase Delhi Metro’s commuter base during non-peak hours, said a DMRC official.

The DMRC had earlier started selling pre-vended smart cards at shopping complexes, social and religious gatherings in an attempt to make smart cards and commuting by metro popular among people. DMRC also plans to start selling pre-vended tokens of different denominations, Sharma said.