CMRL mandates travel card to pay parking charges

This will facilitate seamless transportation of Metro passengers, said the CMRL. An official release said the CMRL had introduced a provision to pay parking fares through the stored value available in CMRL travel cards. From August 1, payments at stations shall be accepted only through CMRL travel Card.

Passengers or public who are using the CMRL parking spaces, who do not possess a CMRL travel card can buy and top up through customer care /ticketing counters available at CMRL metro Stations, said a release.

CMRL officials have been trying to integrate travel and parking for a while to prevent outsiders from parking at the stations. “Over the past many months, we found several people who were not commuting by Chennai Metro taking monthly passes and using our parking space while our commuters were not getting parking slots,” an official pointed out.

To dissuade such practices, anofficial said that the CMRL has doubled charges for monthly parking passes at some stations like Chennai Airport, Thirumangalam, Anna Nagar East, Ashok Nagar, Guindy, Mannadi, Nanganallur Road and Meenambakkam. “We wanted to bring in this integration to ensure only Metro rail commuters parked vehicles at the stations,” another official said.