CHENNAI: In six months, Chennaites will have a common mobility card to travel on buses and the Metro rail, according to a top official from Chennai Metro. It is learnt that a decision is being taken at the high-power committee chaired by Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan to introduce the card.
Chennai Metro Rail officials said they had taken it upon themselves to introduce the facility.
Initially, the card was supposed to be inter-operable across different transport systems in the State, including the railways, and would have served as a credit or debit card as well. However, the plan now is to introduce it only for MTC and Chennai Metro Rail.
Sources said the facility would help capitalise on the MTC’s 50-lakh ridership and generate revenue for both the Metro and MTC. Back-end integration seems to be an issue, but the Chennai Metro is hopeful of resolving it soon.
Commuters with the cards would just have to swipe them to pay for their transport.
The move comes in the wake of the Union Ministry of Urban Development planning to introduce a national common mobility card modelled on London’s popular Oyster card. But before the technical details are worked out, the main stakeholder - the banks - need a business model to be worked out, sources said.