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New Delhi, Sept. 2 (PTI): Passengers will soon be able to use smart cards to buy train tickets on the Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai routes, and also in Calcutta Metro.
“A pan-India multi-purpose smart card is going to be launched by the railways in two most sought-after routes on a pilot basis shortly and the modalities are being worked for it,” said a senior railway ministry official.
Tickets for long distance and suburban trains on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes can be booked through the card, named the Go-India card.
Asked whether the scheme will be extended to other routes, officials said: “The pilot project is for one year and depending on the response, we will decide for its extension.”
The Go-India card, as announced in the Rail Budget 2011-12, will be implemented in two phases.
“While in the first phase it will allow the passenger to buy train tickets in the Delhi-Calcutta and Delhi-Mumbai routes, the Calcutta Metro will be included in the second phase,” an official said.
Reserved and unreserved tickets can be booked using the card at booking counters, automatic ticket vending machines and through Internet.
All major stations like Kanpur, Allahabad and Dhanbad on the Delhi-Howrah route, and Baroda and Surat in the Delhi-Mumbai sector will have facilities for using the smart card.
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