Recharging Metro travel cards is about to become completely hassle-free for the commuters as they will no longer have to stand in long queues at Metro station counters to recharge their cards. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) launched a top up (recharge) facility of its smart cards on Monday through ICICI Bank Business Correspondent Network (Outlets) located across the national Capital and NCR region.
This facility will allow Delhi Metro’s Smart Card users to recharge their smart card at approximately 800 such outlets located across Delhi-NCR without queuing up at DMRC ticket counters. “These outlets are not to be mistaken with ICICI bank branches. They are outlets which can be located at your neighbouring mobile recharge shop or some other store enabling you to add value to your card in a way mobile top ups are done,” a Metro spokesman said.
According to a statement issued by DMRC, a customer will have to provide the Metro Smart Card Number (at the back panel of the card), the recharge amount in cash (minimum is `100 and maximum `3,000 at present) and mobile number to the agent at the outlet. But the only hurdle is that recharges done through this route will have to be validated by tapping the card in Add Value Machines (AVM-white colour machine) installed near customer care centre of selected stations.
DMRC data says, about 70 per cent of Metro commuters use smart cards presently while around 16,000 smart cards are sold every day from the various stations of the network.