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August 13, 2019Commuters clueless on the scope of Kochi1 Card
Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman, CPPR, quoted in The Times of India. Talking about the Kochi1 Card, he said that there needs to be clarity on how commuters using the Kochi1 Card could get the benefits of One Nation One Card system.
With the Centre launching the common mobility card ‘One Nation One Card’, those who are holding a Kochi1 Card, which is currently in use in Kochi Metro and a few private buses, are wondering whether they could use it in other public transport systems across the country.
“I have a Kochi1 Card. But, I do not know whether I can use this card for travelling in Delhi Metro, Bengaluru Metro or any other metro system or public transport system in the country,” said V M Suhaib (name changed), who holds a Kochi1 Card. Commuters like Suhaib are confused whether they should buy another smart card to enjoy the benefits of making payments for public transport across the country, including bus, metro and rail services, and toll booths.
The Kochi1 Card has been introduced with the aim of providing seamless transport systems and also facilitates payments after shopping. It is a prepaid Rupay payment card, issued by Axis Bank and Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL).
D Dhanuraj, chairperson, Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) said that there needs to be clarity on how commuters using the Kochi1 Card could get the benefits of One Nation One Card system. “It remains unclear how commuters will get the benefit of travelling on various modes of transport across the country using the Kochi1 Card. Though there is the possibility to integrate these smart cards on a common platform, it is still not known how and when the process will be executed,” he said.
Meanwhile, officials with Kochi Metro said the Kochi1 Card meets the specifications of national common mobility card (NCMC). Though currently, it is not possible to use the Kochi1 Card at other metros and public transport systems in the country, “it would be made possible in course of time”.
However, he said there would be considerable delay in ensuring the benefits of One Nation One Card to Kochi1 Card holders.
“This is due to technical aspects,” he said. Issues related to bank specifications, security concerns and related matters need to be sorted out. “We cannot say how long it will take to complete the process,” added the official.
The One Nation One Card launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi In March 2019 is essentially an amalgamation of all the smart cards used for different public transport services and can be used for paying for any mode of travel across the country.
This news story can be also read at The Times of India’s website.
