Delhi Metro to inspect AFC gates: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has initiated an inspection of all automated fare collection (AFC) gates at its metro stations across the network after complaints of minor injuries from commuters at few places. According to a recent HT report, few complaints have been received from passengers of getting injured at AFC gates due to faulty systems and abrupt closing of gates. However, according to a DMRC official, safety inspections and maintenance of all machinery inside metro stations and AFC gates are conducted regularly.
According to a senior Delhi Metro official who was quoted in the report, DMRC has received complaints about faulty AFC gates from certain metro stations. In this regard, DMRC will work to fix all gates and will reprogram them, if necessary. Additionally, at Delhi Metro stations with a high volume of commuters, a DMRC official will monitor the exit and entries at the AFC gates.
DMRC officials also explained that the new open AFC gates shut if the tokens or the travel cards are not scanned at the exit points. Hence, Delhi Metro passengers must ensure that their cards and tokens have been read by the machine and should cross the gates only when the screen displays a green arrow, indicating that the fare has been deducted.
According to a Delhi Metro official, the new open AFC gates were installed to manage crowds at metro stations better. Most of the passengers are not familiar with the open AFC gates. Due to this, officials continuously inform commuters to step back and scan their cards and tokens and only then cross the gates.
Meanwhile, Delhi Metro has taken several initiatives to ensure the safety of passengers at stations and inside trains. Recently, DMRC had installed platform screen doors (PSD) at few busy metro stations on the network which receive a high passenger footfall. The PSDs cover the gap between the platform and the metro train, thereby preventing unfortunate incidents or accidents on stations. Steel barriers have also been installed at few stations in order to protect passengers from falling abruptly while waiting for the approaching metro at the platform.
