In July, a total of 51.56 lakh commuters used the card to travel in the 54-km phase I and phase I extension network.
| Photo Credit: VEDHAN M.
Chennai Metro Rail’s National Common Mobility Card or the Singara Chennai Card has transformed into the most used ticketing system.
In July, a total of 51.56 lakh commuters used this card to travel in the 54-km phase I and phase I extension network. Yet, when it comes to recharging the card, commuters continue to face a problem — those who recharge the card online are required to go to the ticket counter yet again to validate it.
Commuters say this “needless task” only adds to their travel time.
Poornika Anandan, who often travels from Tiruvottiyur Theradi to Tondiarpet, said, despite recharging the card online, she has had to queue up at the ticket counter to authenticate it quite a few times.
“I have wasted time standing in queues at Chennai Central and Vadapalani. After that, if I have to recharge the card but find that the station has peak hour rush, I quickly book a QR ticket online,” she added.
A. Raghavan, a frequent commuter and a resident of Nanganallur said, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has been actively promoting the Singara Chennai Card for quite some time. They have also asked the old smart card users to switch to the Singara Chennai card. “In that case, shouldn’t they just add a facility that allows users to just recharge online. It will be of great help as I can avoid waiting in long queues during peak hours,” he said.
According to CMRL officials, they have already begun taking steps to address the issue. “A pilot study is under way to incorporate this facility. We will come up with a solution to resolve the issue soon,” an official said.
Published – August 17, 2025 11:45 pm IST
