Common Metro and Bus Pass for New Delhi from Next Year

The idea of a common public transport pass was first floated in 2010.

Delhi metro.

(Photo: iStock)

Public transport users in New Delhi, rejoice! Come new year, there will be a single card that can be used for traveling in the metro and DTC buses.

According to sources in the Delhi government’s transport department, commuters will be able to use the smart cards initially on a few of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) which will be later extended to all the buses run by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS), Times of India reported.

It has been our intention to launch the scheme in January and a lot of work has been done in the past two to three months. Three meetings were held recently with all the stakeholders. Many issues, including that of connectivity, coordination between DTC and DMRC, etc, have been resolved.

Kailash Gahlot, Delhi Transport Minister

"Hopefully by 1 January 2018, this facility will be operational in DTC buses," DMRC managing director Mangu Singh told TOI.

We are very positive on this. What is required is the infrastructure, a system which enables you to connect. This basic facility has been provided by DMRC. We incorporated this in our Phase III project and now our system is capable. DTC is on board on this and they need to install a machine on their buses.

The project of a common mobility card has been in the works for a long time. It’s modeled along the lines of the cards available in Hong Kong, Seoul and London. The idea was first floated in 2010 and had to be launched last year in July.

Trials were conducted last year in DTC buses to check the feasibility of the system by installing ETM machines which read the card and provide and e-receipt.