Bangalore Metro Rail extends smart card validity to 10 years, enables online recharge

In a huge relief for the commuters who had not used their Namma metro smart cards amid the coronavirus lockdown, Bangalore Metro Rail Cooperation has extended the validity period of the cards from one year to ten years while also enabling online recharge. In the official statement on September 21, the BMRCL noted that it had resumed its operations from September 7 for contactless travel. It also informed that in the wake of the suspension of BMRCL services for more than five months, the validity of smart cards, that was only 365 days from the last date of top-up, has been extended till September 19, 2030. Therefore, commuters would not have to bear the charges of card reactivation. 

BMRCL said, “On the account of nearly five-and-a-half months of suspension of metro operations due to the pandemic, some of the commuters who could not top-up their cards are experiencing problems due to expiry of the validity of smart cards.”

“To avoid inconvenience to the travelling public, BMRCL has extended the validity period of all the issued smart cards, which was for a one-year period from the last top-up, to 10 years, i.e. September 19, 2030,” it added.

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Smart card recharge through net banking

Introducing another update in the Namma smart cards, the BMRCL said in a statement that it has also enabled the recharge option through Net Banking on Website and Namma Metro mobile application. Because earlier the validity was only for a year, many people had faced difficulties in recharging their cards amid the COVID-19 lockdown fearing expiring of the card. Thus, BMRCL said that following the announcement, the commuters can travel in the metro using the smart car that was already issued by recharging online. 

It said, “BMRCL has also enabled Card Recharge option through Net Banking on Website and Namma Metro App. All the patrons of BMRCL may kindly note the extended validity period and travel in Metro Train using the Smart Cards already issued and also make use of recharge options provided.”

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Image: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd/Facebook