Mumbai: The MMRDA has floated tenders for the maintenance of monorail’s automatic fare collection (AFC) system. The last date for the submission is February 28.
As the most important and crucial Phase 2 (Chembur to Jacob Circle) monorail segment will begin operations by February-end, the MMRDA wants to leave no stone unturned to ensure the smooth service on the stretch (Wadala-Chembur-Jacob Circle). In December 2018, the MMRDA had terminated the contract with the Malaysia’s SCOMI Engineering, claiming it failed to fulfil contractual obligations.
Since then, the MMRDA itself has been looking after the maintenance and operations. An MMRDA official said, “The AFC systems are important, as no commuter can enter or exit the station without punching. To ensure a smooth entry or exit, we need expert assistance to handle technical glitches as and when they arise.
Moreover, the AFC gates are the main system to record the number of commuters using the mono service and check revenue collection.” The AFC system is the gateway, where commuters swipe their ticket or smart card or token to gain entry to the boarding area. Metro also uses this system.
The Free Press Journal had reported the Phase 2 will be thrown open to public on February 27 or 28. CM Fadnavis will flag off the service, which has so far missed 21 deadlines, and has been delayed by a decade. The MMRDA says it will see a good ridership and earn a huge revenue, unlike the Wadala-Chembur (Phase-1) corridor.
