Noida RWA body protests DMRC decision to not refund smart card balance

The RWA body has urged the Delhi Metro to revert its recent decision not to refund credit balance on metro cards on surrender of cards after April 1

The confederation of NCR residents’ welfare association (CONRWA) has urged the managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to revert its recent decision not to refund credit balance on metro cards on surrender of cards after April 1.

The RWA body’s members said that it is not right to make people who are not using the cards queue up for refunds. (Burhaan Kinu/HT File Photo)

The residents’ welfare body said that the decision will cause a loss to lakhs of people who are in possession of the cards. Members said that it is not right to make people who are not using the cards queue up for refunds. The credit amount in a card is the earning of the depositor and can be used anytime, at the discretion of card holders, CONRWA members said said.

Card holders can get a refund of their smart card balance until March 31, after which only the security deposit, after the deduction of relevant charges, will be returned to the customer upon surrender of the card. The recharge amount has also been capped at Rs2,000.

The DMRC had said in a statement that the move is “in order to comply with the guidelines/directives of Reserve Bank of India and also for making metro smart card interoperable.”

PS Jain, the president of CONRWA, said, “DMRC has reportedly taken the decision on the guidelines of Reserve Bank of India. The rail corporation enjoys an interest on our deposits and it is inappropriate not to refund the credit balance in case of non-usage.”

In a letter to the managing director of DMRC, CONRWA members cited the example of a bank account and said that banks refund the total amount during closure of an account. Also, if there is credit balance in an account that is inactive, it can still be withdrawn by the account holder after submitting a KYC (know your customer) form.

“The refund of balance amount will encourage more passengers to switch to cards as there will be no fear of losing the money,” the letter stated.

The members said that going back on the decision will encourage more people to use the card, failing which cashless economy would be hampered.

The letter stated that the action is illegal and illogical, and such deposits are not forfeited in any country.