Open gate system leads to chaos at Metro stations

NEWDELHI: The newly introduced open gate system at the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates is leading to chaos at many Metro stations in Delhi-ncr where the staff is having a tough time helping commuters pass through the gates smoothly. This, in turn, leads to long queues at the stations even during non-peak hours.

Under the new system, the Metro gates remain constantly open and only close if a passenger tries to enter or exit the station without punching in their smart card or token. In the earlier system, which still exists at most stations, the flap gates open and close only when commuters punch smart cards or use tokens.

“Earlier you did not pass the gate if it is open. So you end up waiting till it closes after someone ahead of you crosses. This leads to confusion and wastes time. When I faced it the first time, I thought it was a glitch. But then, I was told these gates always remain open,” said Avneesh Rastogi, who commutes between Rajiv Chowk and Noida City Centre every day.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which intends to adopt this ‘open gate’ system gradually across its network, termed the chaos as an ‘initial’ hiccup that would be over soon. DMRC expects a 65% increase in the number of passengers entering or leaving the station per minute through the new system. At present, at least 10 to 15 commuters pass through the gates per minute. “Most of the commuters are not used to the new system. The moment you step near the gate without using the card/coupon, the flap shuts obstructing the smooth passage of commuters. From what it appears now, the system is not increasing the number of passengers but, instead, leading to queues,” said a DMRC staffer at Noida City Centre Metro station.

“We have to ask people to wait at some distance from the gate before punching a card or using a token. Then there are passengers who try to run through the already open flaps to save money which the system doesn’t allow,” he said.

To tackle the chaos, DMRC has deputed additional staff near the gates besides making announcements using loud speakers. Apart from a few chosen lines, the new system has also been introduced in the Magenta Line (KalkaljiMandir-botanical Garden).

A DMRC official said the openflap system is meant to enable faster entry and exit of passengers, thus reducing crowding. As an experiment, the DMRC introduced the system at select stations on Heritage Line, he said. “Initially, the passengers took some time to get used to the new system. However, by and large they have got used to the system now and the overall feedback is positive and we plan to adopt this system in the new sections which are opening soon,” said Anuj Dayal, executive director, corporate communications. “The initial adjustment issues will reduce after some time.”