Delhi Metro to ease contactless travel: Smart cards with automatic top-up facilities in order

In a move to ensure contactless travel and encourage cashless transactions, especially during the current COVID crises, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has introduced new smart cards that come with automatic top-up feature. These will be available to commuters as soon as the metro resumes its operations.

One can download these smart cards via app Autope, which has been specially designed for this purpose. As per senior metro officials, Autope will offer the automatic top-up functionality. As per the functionality, whenever the value of your smart card goes below INR 100, your card will automatically get recharged with INR 200 at the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) entry gate itself. Autope will then auto-debit the topped-up value from the customer's card/bank account that is linked with the app the next working day.
To avail the facilities of this app, metro users will be required to download the said mobile application. After this, they will have to register and link their bank/credit card/UPI account with the smart card. As per a DMRC official, a nominal amount will be charged as a convenience fee from the customer for each transaction.
Referring to this, DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh said that this initiative is in line with DMRC’s commitment towards supporting the digital drive to promote cashless transactions among the commuters of Delhi Metro. He also added that this new feature will enable one to get their smart card auto topped up at AFC gates, which will further facilitate them to travel seamlessly without any hassle of recharging it from time to time.
As regarding the existing Metro smart card users, they can also avail this facility. They will have to visit the customer care centre of any Metro station within three days after registering on the said mobile application, and get their smart cards activated for this facility as a one-time exercise. However, this facility will be available from the day Delhi Metro resumes operations.

Besides auto-top-up facility, the benefits offered by Autope will also include home delivery of new cards, and 5 per cent additional discount on each top up.