Noida Metro Ushers New Era of Smart Mobility

With its Automatic Fare Collection solution, Noida Metro Rail introduced Indians to QR code metro ticketing. APAC News Network explores the benefits for commuters and metro operatives.

Noida in the National Capital Region (NCR) is home to the Noida Metro, which broke records for the highest-ever number of daily ridership with over 52,000 daily passengers in 2022. Noida is rapidly evolveing its public infrastructure in order to cater to over 8 lakh citizens as well as the thousands visiting the city every year.

Consequently, there was a need for smart mobility solutions like Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) systems to help Noida’s citizens commute with ease. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), accordingly provided the passengers a state-of- the-art Automated Fare Collection (AFC) system. This AFC system provides tickets, using RuPay contactless smart cards and mobile ticketing application, for the Noida Metro Project in order to cater to its high number ridership efficiently.

Identifying the Scope of the Project

Efficiency Enhancement: The NMRC aimed to provide more efficient ticketing solutions to their high number of commuters. At the same time, it focused on easing the load created on processes like manual ticket issuance, revenue record keeping and hardware and software maintenance.
Integration: The solution was aimed at providing an integrated ticketing system, which communicates within the hardware and software aspects. As a result, the AFC system reduced the need for manual intervention on every step, creating a streamlined commuting experience and boosting commute speed and efficiency.
Future-Ready Solution: The heavy dependence on the software aspects of the solutions for it to be modified, maintained and upgraded as and when need be, makes it a future-ready solution for ticketing needs.

Setting the Objectives of the Project

Streamlined Ticketing Solution: The core objective of the solution was to provide an efficient digitized ticket in the form of a QR code to the commuters who usually have to wait in long lines for paper tickets.
Hardware and Software Integrated Solution: The hardware and software aspects of the solution were developed in order to create a seamless contactless process from online ticket purchasing to digital ticket validation at the gates. This reduced the load experienced by manual ticket counters, boosting commute speed.
Comprehensive Payment Platforms: The solution provided a mobile ticketing application for remote ticket purchasing as well as integrated online payments. The solution also accounted for card users by accepting State Bank of India and NMRC issued smart cards for ticket purchases as well as other purchases. This was done using the ‘Tap’ EMV installment, making it a ‘one card for all purchases’ solution.
Streamlined Maintenance: The software solution was designed to be easy and quick to maintain, considering the high number of daily commuters, to reduce downtime and revenue loss.

Dissecting the AFC Solution

The AFC systems represent a transformative leap in enhancing commuter experiences by streamlining the ticketing process. The solution is built on the open loop ticketing concept, allowing commuters to pay-as-they-go using any payment methods they may wish to use.

At its core, the Automated Fare Collection system aims to be a seamless and quick ticketing solution, reducing the need for long lines, cash and token tickets which need to be returned safely or paper tickets which lead to large amounts of littering at the metro stations. The NMRC’s vision in providing its commuters with such a solution focuses on enhancing their experience and making their travel convenient.

Another aspect of the solution is that it acts as a way to maintain accurate revenue records, reducing revenue loss in cash ticketing, saving the NMRC time and resources spent on record keeping.

The total extent of the solutions included integrated hardware and software design, installation of solutions, commissioning and 10 years of maintenance across 21 stations including interoperability to feeder vehicles and parking.

The Automated Fare Collection system needed the following hardware to be upgraded with the new software solutions for end-to-end integration:

Automatic Flap Gates

Ticket Readers

Gate Validators

Ticket Vending Machines

Ticket Office Machines/Excess Fare Office

Electronic Ticketing Issuing Machines for Buses

The following software solutions were adopted for streamlining ticket purchasing:

Automated Fare Collection System Back Office: This was meant to connect banks to the commuter through open loop ticketing to allow for a wide range of payment methods to be used, such as cards, netbanking, QR code payments and so on.
Mobile Ticket Application: This was meant to purchase a QR code ticket right from a mobile device where it can be carried as a digital ticket.
National Common Mobility Card through RuPay Kernel to State Bank of India: This allowed commuters to carry a single banking card for all purchases including ticket purchases.

Role of Aurionpro

Aurionpro, being the lead technology partner in this project for NMRC, completed this project in a record time of 9 months. They recognized the importance of convenient and time-efficient commuting. Accordingly, they devised a methodology combining proven project management practices .

In response to the evolving and rapidly growing DPI landscape, the installation of the Automated Fare Collection system needed complete and comprehensive digital support from all partners involved. This was successfully implemented under a public/private partnership between a consortium of State Bank of India, Aurionpro transit & Aurionpro and the NMRC to promote smart transportation and smart mobility in India.

How Noida Metro Benefited

The integration of the Automated Fare Collection system for the Noida Metro has yielded many benefits for both commuters as well as metro operatives. This implementation has reduced the need for human intervention in ticket purchasing and validation, saving commuters times that they would have otherwise spent in ticket lines.

This has also alleviated the pressure experienced by Noida Metro operatives on manual ticket counters. The result is a highly efficient workflow, aligning perfectly with the NMRC’s pursuit of convenience for their commuters.

Alongside the increased efficiency, the newly installed solution is much easier to maintain, reducing downtime, commuter pile-ups and revenue losses. The system also allows for timely revenue record keeping, saving hours of manual tracking and boosts accuracy.

The NMRC’s AFC system has ushered in a new era in smart mobility not only for the commuters of the Noida metro, but also to the nation, as it introduced Indians to QR code metro ticketing for the very first time. This initiative enhanced commuter experiences, while also reducing the pressure experienced by metro operatives. It also created a streamlined, future-ready solution for the Noida of tomorrow.