Hassle-free commute, RAPIDX to have UPI-enabled ticket vending machines

People travelling in the RAPIDX transport system will be able to use the unified payments interface (UPI) system to purchase tickets, The Times of India (TOI) reports. This makes RAPIDX the first transport network to leverage UPI technology. Commuters will be able to use UPI to buy tickets using RAPIDX ticket vending machines (TVMs).

Apart from TVMs, RAPIDX will have several other ticketing options, such as commuter cards or national common mobility cards (NCMC), the report said. 

Commuters will have the option to generate a digital QR code from RAPIDX Connect, the all-in-one mobile application, and make ticket payments.

The conventional option of going to the ticket office machine and paying for it by cash, credit/debit cards or UPI and NCMC card wallets will also be available, the newspaper reported. 

Elaborating on the subject, an official of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) was quoted in the report as saying, "These fast, cashless modes of ticketing will ensure a convenient journey. It will eliminate the need and hassle of carrying cash or change."

How will the RAPIDX mobile application work?

The app will feature a UPI-based payment system. To use it, commuters will have to tap on the "Buy Ticket" option on the screen. Subsequently, they will select the destination they want to travel to and then choose the number of tickets they need. After that, four payment options will appear on the screen, including UPI.

If a commuter chooses to pay through UPI, a QR code will be generated on the point of sale (POS) terminal of TVM. Commuters can scan that QR code using the UPI app of their choice and complete the payment. Lastly, the TVM will give the commuter a paper QR ticket to be used for the journey.

Talking about the easy-to-use nature of the ticket purchasing experience, the TOI report quoted an official saying, "With a user-friendly interface, the purchase cycle not only becomes time efficient but also hassle-free."

What is RAPIDX?

It is India's first semi-high-speed regional rail service and has been named "RAPIDX". The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is constructing and executing the project.

The trains on this system will run on Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors. The system will facilitate easy and fast urban commutes around the National Capital Region (NCR).

In other words, much like the Delhi Metro connects Delhi internally, the RAPIDX will ensure unhindered urban transportation facilities around the capital, connecting Delhi with the cities and towns on its periphery.

The priority section of RAPIDX

The 17-km priority section with five stations - Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duahi Depot is ready and will soon begin operation. The section is part of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor.

NCRTC, the nodal agency overseeing the RAPIDX project, aims to make the entire 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor operational by 2025, TOI reported.

Other corridors of the RAPIDX

Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat are the two other corridors of the RAPIDX network. These two corridors are intended to bring the national capital closer to its industrialised neighbouring cities and connect educational and hospitality facilities in Haryana and Rajasthan with Delhi.