To encourage automated ticketing, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to convert 50 per cent of its existing ‘Automatic Fare Collection (AFC)’ exit gates to ‘Card Only’ exit gates by the end of this month. At present, the Delhi Metro has 1,073 AFC gates across its network of 160 stations. Of these, 500 exit gates will be converted to card-exclusive gates, said officials. [related-post] Watch Video: What's making news About 70 per cent or 18 lakh commuters of the 26 lakh who travel by the Metro everyday use the smart card as a mode of payment, said the DMRC. “The move is aimed at facilitating a smooth exit from the dedicated gates at a faster pace. The remaining AFC exit gates will remain functional for both smart card and token-carrying passengers,” said a Metro spokesperson. He added, “Shifting of card users to their dedicated exit gates will allow token users more space and time to exit from the other gates.” The DMRC had planned to make its network fully automated to remove the need for manual ticketing. However, sources said it has been unsuccessful in doing so and has had to employ hundreds of additional staff to handle ticketing operations. Adequate signages are being placed at the gates to inform and facilitate the passengers, said an official.
