UP Metro, also known as the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC), is a mass metro system in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) is a government-enabled organization responsible for planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the metro rail systems in Uttar Pradesh, India. The UPMRC was established in 2017 and is headquartered in Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
Like any other metro agency, this metro agency is responsible for constructing and implementing metro projects in the state of Uttar Pradesh. UPMRC will be working only in the cities of Uttar Pradesh. The main aim of Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation is to construct a sustainable and easily accessible mode of transport for the citizens. They are working to create a better secure transport system for all its users and commuters.
The first metro rail project implemented by the UPMRC was the Lucknow Metro, which began operations in 2017. The Lucknow Metro is a state-of-the-art metro system that operates on a single North-South corridor, covering a distance of approximately 23 kilometres and connecting key areas of the city such as Hazratganj, Charbagh Railway Station, and Indira Nagar.
In this article, we will mainly learn and gain knowledge about the smart cards used for easy travelling in the Uttar Pradesh Metro. The smart card used in the UP metro is the Smart GO Card. The Smart Go Card is a contactless smart card introduced by the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) for passengers using the Lucknow Metro.
About UP Metro Card:
It is a rechargeable card that can be used to pay for metro fares, eliminating the need for passengers to carry cash or purchase tickets every time they use the metro. The Smart Go Card can be purchased at metro stations or online through the official website of the UPMRC. It can be loaded with a minimum of Rs. 100 and a maximum of Rs. 3,000. The card is valid for one year from the issue date and can be recharged as needed.
When it comes to how easy it is to use metro cards? The answer is it’s the most easily accessible metro card, similar to other states’ metro cards. To use the Smart Go Card, travellers and passengers must tap the card on the fare-collecting machine. These machines are usually available at the entrance of all the metro stations.
The trip fare is automatically calculated and deducted from the card at exit time. There is no such rule that only one particular can use the card; anyone with that card with sufficient balance in it can use the card at all the metro stations.
Benefits Of Using The Smart GO Card:
Here are some benefits of using a smart go card for passengers:
- Convenience: Smart go cards make travelling on public transport more convenient. Passengers can easily load money onto their card online, through a mobile app, or at a self-service kiosk. They can also use the card to tap on and off at train stations, bus stops, and ferry wharves without carrying cash or buying a paper ticket.
- Cost-effective: Smart go cards offer cost-effective travel for passengers. The card provides discounted fares compared to paper tickets, making it an attractive option for regular commuters. Additionally, the card has a daily fare cap, so once a passenger reaches a certain amount of travel in a day, they will not be charged for further trips.
- Speed: Using a smart go card can speed up the boarding process on public transport. Passengers can tap on and off quickly, reducing boarding time for a bus or train. This can improve the overall efficiency of the public transport system and reduce delays.
- Security: Smart go cards are more secure than paper tickets as they cannot be easily lost or damaged. Passengers can also protect their card by registering it online, so if the card is lost or stolen, it can be blocked and the balance transferred to a new card.
- Flexibility: Smart go cards can be used on multiple modes of public transport, including buses, trains, and ferries. Passengers can also use the card for multiple daily trips, making it a flexible option for those who need to travel frequently.
- Data tracking: Smart go cards allow public transport authorities to track data on passenger travel patterns. This can help them better understand passenger behaviour and improve future public transport services.
Overall, smart go cards offer a range of benefits to passengers, including convenience, cost-effectiveness, speed, security, flexibility, and data tracking.
As we talked and looked in detail about the benefits of using this smart card, the main and most attractive benefit we found was that it’s a contactless smart card. We learned how to easily recharge these cards using UPI-based apps like GPay, Paytm, and PhonePe. Now let’s learn how to recharge these cards using UPI-based apps hassle-free and easily.
Before a passenger goes to recharge his smart card, he will first want to check how much balance is left on his card and how many trips he can make using the available balance. The following article will help you learn how to check your Smart Go Card balance, then recharge the smart card using UPI-based apps.
How To Check The Balance Of Smart Go Card?
To check the balance of your Smart Go Card for the Uttar Pradesh Metro, you can follow the steps given below:
- Visit the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) website.
- Click on the “Smart Card” tab on the homepage.
- Click on the “Balance Enquiry” option.
- Enter your Smart Go Card number and click on “Submit.”
- Your Smart Go Card balance will be displayed on the screen.
Alternatively, you can check your Smart Go Card balance at any Uttar Pradesh Metro station. To do so, follow these steps:
- Locate the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gate at the metro station.
- Tap your Smart Go Card on the AFC gate.
- Your card balance will be displayed on the screen.
You can also recharge your Smart Go Card online through the UPMRC website or at any Uttar Pradesh Metro station. To recharge your card, follow these steps:
- Visit the UPMRC website or go to any Uttar Pradesh Metro station.
- Select the “Smart Card” option.
- Click on the “Recharge” option.
- Enter the amount you want to recharge and click on “Submit”.
- Enter your payment details and complete the transaction.
Once the recharge is successful, the balance will be updated on your Smart Go Card and checked using the steps mentioned above.
How To Recharge Smart GO Uttar Pradesh Metro Card Using GPay, Phonepe, And Paytm?
To recharge your Smart Go Card for the Uttar Pradesh Metro using GPay, Phonepe, and Paytm, you can follow the steps given below:
Using GPay:
- Open the GPay app on your mobile device.
- Click on the “New Payment” option.
- Select the “UPI ID or QR code” option.
- Enter the UPI ID provided by the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) for Smart Card recharge, which is “smartcard@upmetrorail”.
- Enter the amount you want to recharge and click on “Proceed”.
- Verify the details and click on “Confirm”.
- Enter your UPI PIN to complete the transaction.
- Once the transaction is successful, the amount will be added to your Smart Go Card balance.
Using Phonepe:
- Open the Phonepe app on your mobile device.
- Click on the “Recharge & Pay Bills” option.
- Select the “Metro” option.
- Select “Uttar Pradesh Metro” as the operator.
- Enter your Smart Go Card number.
- Enter the amount you want to recharge and click on “Proceed”.
- Verify the details and click on “Pay Now”.
- Enter your Phonepe PIN or UPI PIN to complete the transaction.
- Once the transaction is successful, the amount will be added to your Smart Go Card balance.
Using Paytm:
- Open the Paytm app on your mobile device.
- Click on the “Metro” option.
- Select “Uttar Pradesh Metro” as the operator.
- Enter your Smart Go Card number.
- Enter the amount you want to recharge and click on “Proceed.”
- Verify the details and click on “Pay Now.”
- Choose your preferred payment method (e.g. Paytm wallet, UPI, credit card, etc.).
- Enter your payment details and complete the transaction.
- Once the transaction is successful, the amount will be added to your Smart Go Card balance.
The above steps have been explained to the readers for the three different Apps. If users follow the step mentioned above, they can recharge their smart cards in seconds and travel without facing any inconvenience, without standing in long queues at metro stations. This idea of recharging metro cards using such apps was discovered to manage the traffic at metro stations and save passengers’ travel time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
A: Checking the balance on your UP Metro Card is easy. You can check the balance at the ticket counter or the ticket vending machine available at the metro stations. Simply tap your card on the balance checker machine, and the available balance will be displayed on the screen.
A: You can recharge your UP Metro Card in several ways. You can use the ticket vending machine available at the metro stations, the official website of the UP Metro Rail Corporation, or the mobile application. You can also recharge your card through authorized vendors or by visiting customer care centers. The process is quick and hassle-free, and you can choose the desired amount and mode of payment at your convenience.
Conclusion:
Overall, the UPMRC is an important agency responsible for the development of modern and sustainable metro rail systems in Uttar Pradesh, providing a safe, efficient, and reliable mode of public transportation while promoting economic development, reducing traffic congestion, and improving the quality of life for the people of Uttar Pradesh.
Even though it is expected that people will be eager to use metros, and it will be helpful for every individual because metros provide comfort to the passengers and save time, people will start to prefer metros over their vehicles over time. Compared to the Delhi Metro Services, the UP metro has been recently constructed, and the commuters are not very used to it, but the authorities are sure that it will be a great success and will be a great help to the daily commuters.
People will get used to travelling in metros, and the government will be developing more and more metro stations in more cities of Uttar Pradesh. The construction of Metro Services in different cities brings a lot of development in every sector of the Economy. The construction will not just be a big development for the City but also for the State and Nation on the whole.
It will benefit the Economy and infrastructure of our country, it will thus help in the employment generation of the county. It will always be a better idea to construct and build such projects in different parts of the country as it is a future-centric decision to control and manage the emerging traffic of a particular place with time.
