Kolkata Metro is planning to go cashless in an attempt to ease commute by reducing queues at ticket counters, general manager Subhransu Sekhar Mishra said on Friday.
“In order to reduce queues for manual tickets, we want passengers to use the mobile app or smart cards for tickets,” Mishra said at Kolkata Metro’s Foundation Day event at New Esplanade station, outlining a larger plan to digitalise services across the metro network.
While the move aligns with India’s broader push towards digital payments, some Kolkatans — mostly senior citizens, daily wagers and smalltime businessmen — are still not ready for the change.
According to the 2011 census, roughly 12 per cent of Kolkata’s population is aged 60 or above — this is the highest among all metropolitan cities in India.
Many elderly passengers are not tech-savvy enough to use mobile ticketing apps or UPI systems, often depending on family members to make digital payments for them.
“I can use a smart card because my son recharges it for me,” said 70-year-old commuter Krishna Niyogi from Bansdroni. “But using an app for tickets or scanning QR codes is confusing. What if the phone battery dies or the app stops working?”.
Others echoed similar concerns about security and ease of use. “I prefer cash over digital transactions. It is more convenient for someone like me as there is no fear of being duped or sending money to the wrong account. Also, at this age and given my health, I find it difficult to remember pins and passwords,” said Binita Roy, 66, a resident of Behala Chowrasta. “I cannot imagine relying solely on UPI payment for daily commute or market visits. I will need assistance if that were the case.”
Commuters from working-class backgrounds face a different hurdle — not everyone owns a smartphone or has access to stable internet.
Twenty-eight-year-old Parul Das, a domestic worker from Bakultala, uses smartphone but doesn't have access to UPI. “I use metro when I travel to Esplanade or New Market. It is always a cash transaction for me.”
"My salary is paid in cash every month. It's a hassle if I have to deposit it in bank and then make transactions. Also, I find it hard to understand how digital payment works. It scares me," she added.
Calls from My Kolkata to a representative of Metro Railway, Kolkata went unanswered. A formal reaction from metro authorities on this issue is awaited.