Metro Railway passengers opting for online recharge of smart cards will now have to install a new mobile app, the carrier said on Saturday.
Metro Ride Kolkata mobile app, developed by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) and available on Google Play Store, was launched on Saturday.
So far, online recharge of smart cards was possible through another app, Metro Railway, Kolkata, which used to redirect a user to the Metro Railway website.
“From Saturday, only the new app will be available for online recharge of smart cards,” said a Metro official.
When this newspaper tried to recharge through the earlier app, a message saying “this facility is temporarily discontinued” popped up.
A guide for online recharge through Metro Ride Kolkata, the new mobile app.
• Download Metro Ride Kolkata from Google Play Store
• New users have to sign up with valid credentials (one time)
• Log in with ID and password
• Keep your “Location” on
• Go to "Booking”
• Go to “Top Up Card”
• Enter smart card number
• Confirm the card number and mobile number to get a text message
• Select recharge amount
• Confirm
• Make payment via Net banking, debit card/credit card, Rupay, Maestro, Master Card, Visa Card or UPI
• See Payment status
“Passengers can check their balance on the app. They can also go to the card-reading machines at stations,” said the official.
The option of getting cards recharged at ticket counters at the stations will continue like before, said the official. Tokens will also be in use.
The carrier is also working on a QR code-based online ticketing system. “The smart gates at the stations need a hardware upgrade to read the code. That work is on,” the official said.
“Once ready, there will be three options for passengers - smart cards, tokens and QR code-based tickets,” the official said.