The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is looking at ways to make travel seamless and environment-friendly, and the latest step in this direction is the introduction of QR-based paper tickets for riders. Yes, that’s right. Starting May 8, you have a QR-based ticket for Delhi Metro that will be compatible with the newly installed automatic fare collection (AFC) gate.
DMRC has been offering plastic tokens for riders since its availability in the city but now it wants to bring different solutions, including a mobile-based QR ticketing system in the near future. So what are the new QR-based paper tickets, how does one get it and how does it work? Here are all the details.
What are Delhi Metro QR-based Paper Tickets?
DMRC has planned to replace the plastic tokens with new paper tickets with QR codes. These tickets have been made available at the ticket counters from May 8 and let you travel on the Delhi Metro from Point A to Point B. The whole purpose of having these new tickets is to reduce the human process required for issuing the tickets. DMRC already has ticket vending machines in place at the stations, and soon all DMRC stations will support the new QR-based paper tickets and dispense it through the vending machines as well.
DMRC has introduced QR code-based paper tickets for travel on all its lines from today i.e., 8th May 2023. With the introduction of this facility, commuters will now be able to use the QR Code based paper tickets apart from the tokens.
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) May 8, 2023
DMRC is offering paper tickets via the station counter and customer care counters that now support the new feature. The stations have been upgraded to support the paper tickets, and as per the details given on the DMRC website, one gate for entry and exit has the new terminal installed for now, and by the end of June, all the AFC points will be compatible with the new QR-based paper tickets. In addition to this, Delhi Metro will also bring mobile-based QR tickets for riders by the end of this month.
How Delhi Metro QR-based Paper Tickets Work?
DMRC has released the guidelines for using paper tickets, how long one can use them at the metro stations and what are the conditions to use them.
- DMRC says the rider can only use the QR-based paper ticket to enter the station from where they have got it. You cannot enter from any other station using a paper ticket.
- The metro authority also states that the passenger has 60 minutes to use the QR-based paper ticket to enter the station from the time the ticket been issued. If the passenger fails to enter within 60 minutes, the paper ticket will get invalid and they won’t be able to enter the station or get a refund for this ticket.
- DMRC is only giving QR-based paper tickets for specific stations right now, which means you have to get the ticket issued from Saket to Rajiv Chowk for instance, just like how you get the token from the vending machine.
- Delhi Metro also says that if any passenger exits before their destination station, they will have to get a free exit ticket issued as the QR-based paper ticket will not work on the AFC gates. Similarly, if someone travels beyond their final station, they will have to pay the additional fare, take the exit ticket and only then exit the station.
- DMRC warns that you cannot use an image of the paper ticket on the phone to enter/exit the station. In fact, if you are found using such copies, the rider will be treated and penalised as someone without a valid ticket.
