Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of Metro’s new ticketing system. (Sayantan Ghosh)

Mamata Banerjee inaugurated Metro Railway’s new ticketing system at Jatin Das Park station on Thursday, clearing the decks for the city’s transport lifeline to throw open its token-operated flap gates to the future on Friday morning.

“When I took charge of the railways, the doors of trains would often malfunction and several other things were in a poor condition. Now new rakes have come. A few more will arrive soon,” said the chief minister, who also flagged off three local trains and an express train and inaugurated an escalator and an elevator at Howrah station.

Metro gives the Calcutta commuter the lowdown on how the token ticketing system works before the flap gates open for the first time.

Will it be token-only Metro travel from Friday?

No, tokens and paper tickets will simultaneously remain in use till passengers become familiar with the new system.

Will tokens and paper tickets be available at the same counter?

No, the dispensers are different. There will be stickers identifying the paper-ticket counters.

Can a commuter choose not to use a token?

Yes, but the Metro authorities have urged commuters to opt for tokens so that they get used to the system.

How is a token different from a paper ticket?

The token needs to be brought near the sensor for the flaps of the gate to open. Once the flaps open, the commuter has to pass through the gate within 10 seconds before they close again and the token becomes invalid.

What is a commuter supposed to do with the token at the destination station?

While exiting the station, the token must be dropped into a slot at the gates for the flaps to open.

Will there be multi-ride tokens like paper tickets?

No. But commuters can use the existing multi-ride tickets till their validity ends. Sale of multi-ride paper tickets with more than 12 trips and a 21-day validity ended on Thursday.

Can a commuter use one token for a return journey?

No, he or she has to buy a separate token for every journey.

If two or more persons are travelling together, can they use one token?

No, each commuter will need an individual token.

Will the old smart cards remain valid?

The old smart cards will soon be replaced by microchip-enabled ones of Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 300 and Rs 400 value. Metro Railway on Thursday stopped recharging smart cards beyond Rs 100 value. However, commuters can continue using their smart cards for the time being. If there is any money left in the old cards, it will be transferred to the new ones.

When does a token become invalid?

A token is for a single journey. A passenger needs to enter the platform within 30 minutes of buying the token and complete the journey and leave the station within 90 minutes for it to be recognised by the gate sensor as valid.

Is a token more likely to be damaged than a paper ticket?

Not unless someone mishandles it.

What if a token is damaged or lost?

The commuter would need to pay a fine of Rs 250.

Will the token system help reduce the rush at stations or compound it?

55 people can pass through a smart gate in a minute, against 35 for a turnstile.

Can more than one person get past a gate at a time?

No, a minimum distance of 60cm between two commuters is stipulated. If two persons try to squeeze in, an alarm will go off and the flaps will close.