Begin typing your search...

    Chennai Metro Rail to revoke tourist cards from February 1, draws flak from passengers

    For the convenience of passengers, especially tourists, CMRL has been offering the one-day and 30-day pass, sold at Rs 100 and at Rs 2,500, respectively, which allows unlimited rides within the specified time.

    Chennai Metro Rail to revoke tourist cards from February 1, draws flak from passengers
    X

    Chennai Metro Train (CMRL)

    CHENNAI: The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has informed that the offer of ‘tourist cards’ (one-day and 30-day) will not be available from February 1. This decision has been met with disappointing reactions from many passengers

    For the convenience of passengers, especially tourists, CMRL has been offering the one-day and 30-day pass, sold at Rs 100 and at Rs 2,500, respectively, which allows unlimited rides within the specified time.

    This card was especially popular among tourists and those who hardly travelled in Metro Rail. Hence, withdrawing the tourist card has not been received well by these travellers.

    However, announcing the discontinuation of travel card, CMRL stated in a press note, “Passengers can continue using alternative ticketing options, including digital tickets, QR code- based tickets, single journey tokens, and the National Common Mobility Card, which is now also integrated with MTC buses.”

    Meanwhile, DT Next on January 13 had reported on how certain contract staff working in the stations have been misusing the offer of one-day pass, also called the tourist card, to their own advantage in 2023. It was revealed that if a passenger returned the 24-hour tourist card before its expiration, certain contract staff at Metro stations did not deactivate the card and issued the same card to a new passenger. By doing so, the operator had pocketed the deposit money of Rs 50. The malpractice was done at multiple stations for over a year, alleged sources.

    However, commenting on this, a CMRL passenger said, “Tourist cards were more beneficial than CMRL had anticipated. For a person visiting Chennai for a couple of days for business, or for a tourist, it eased the Metro commute. Having to book a ticket on any other mode is an additional task for passengers.”

    Another CMRL passenger noted that CMRL was scrapping the entire task rather than addressing the issue. “Whatever allegations had happened with the travel card, CMRL must rectify it rather than revoking the offer as it helped several passengers,” she said.

    DTNEXT Bureau
    Next Story