L&T awards Hyd metro fare collection contract to Samsung

Contract value ranges between Rs 180 cr to Rs 220 cr depending on the final design of the stations

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited has awarded the automatic fair collection system, the last contract of the Rs 16,000-crore  metro rail project, to Samsung Data Systems India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Samsung SDS, Korea.

The contract value ranges between Rs 180 crore and Rs 220 crore depending on the final design of the stations, which are expected to have a minimum of 4 entry-cum-exit gates to 8 and above, according to VB Gadgil, chief executive and managing director of L&T Metro Rail. The Korean company was selected out of six bidders based on various technical parameters, he said.

The fare collection system involves a smart card-based ticketing platform, which also allows the use of debit and credit cards including cash payment besides mobile phone, to access the entry. The platform is potentially to be used for other modes of public transport as well as parking and shopping under the clearing house concept being promoted by the Ministry of Urban Development, said NVS Reddy, managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited.

Gadgil said ticket vending machines would also be installed in places other than stations. The company has so far awarded Rs 11,000 crore worth of contracts, including rolling stock, signalling and communications, and civil works. The project is scheduled to be completed in phases starting by the end of this year and would be fully operational in 2017.