New Delhi: Traveling on the Regional Rapid Transit System Corridor (RRTS) between Meerut and Delhi is expected to be an easy matter because commuters will be able to use smart phones, credit cards or debit and travel smart cards from any Metro system in this country to pay for tickets .
RRTS will also be the first transit system where passengers “premium classes” must validate their tickets or cards for the second time to ride high-speed trains.
A spokesman for the National Capital Region of Transport Corporation (NCRTC), who carried out the project, said the sophisticated automatic tariff collection system (AFC) would be installed.
“How to enter without contact and exit will be smooth, easy, comfortable and fast,” he added.
There will be a “open loop” system completely from the first day of operation, which will allow various types of smart cards and QR-based tickets to be used for traveling.
This will include a credit or debit card supported by a payment network such as Rupay, MasterCard and Visa, which follows the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) standards.
“In addition, the smart card issued by the NCRTC for travel on the RRT can also be used for retail transactions,” said the spokesman.
The mobile application, apart from the NCRTC website, will help commuter produces QR code-based tickets.
“QR ticket paper will be available through a vending machine at the station for a single trip.
The NCRTC cellular application will also help commuting in recharging their cards, among other functions,” the official said.
Each RRTS train on the 82km corridor will have a separate business class coach called “premium class”, which will be wider and has a larger seat, apart from free Wi-Fi on-board and other facilities such as the lounge at the station.
“The NCRTC will be the first to apply two AFC media validation rates, one at the concert level and the second at the platform level.
The level of the AFC Gates platform will be provided for access to a premium lounge to ride a premium class coach,” said the spokesman.
Installation of the AFC system has begun by guidelines for make-in-India trade union government through public private partnerships based on hybrid annuity models.
“This is the first of its kind in this country for the installation of the AFC system,” said the spokesman.
At present, it takes around three and a half to four hours to travel by road from Begum Pul in Meerut to Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi.
When the RRT becomes operational, passengers will be able to discuss the same distance in one hour.
“The RRT will improve the quality of life of the NCR community as a whole by providing a fast, reliable, safe, comfortable and sustainable mobility solution.
Construction work in full swing and corridors is expected to be operational in 2025,” the official said.