Chennai Metro AFC Gate Software Glitch Causes Congestion at Multiple Stations

Commuters across several Chennai Metro Rail stations experienced crowding and delays during morning peak hours on Tuesday due to technical glitches at the ticketing gates. The issue affected stations across the 54-kilometre Phase I and Phase I extension network, including Chennai Airport, which serves commuters traveling from nearby areas such as Tambaram.

The Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates took longer than usual to read National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) during the morning rush. Because the ticketing gates were slow to process the cards, queues built up at entry and exit points across key transit hubs.

According to sources, the congestion affected multiple locations across the network, including Thirumangalam, Chennai Central, Wimco Nagar Depot, Chennai Airport, Government Estate, Nandanam, and Alandur, forcing passengers to wait in long queues before reaching the platforms or leaving the stations.

Officials from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) confirmed that the delays were caused by a software upgrade carried out on the AFC gates. Officials noted that trials for the upgrade had been conducted in five stations. The technical problem persisted through the morning rush until 10:30 a.m., after which the system was restored to normal operation. CMRL officials stated they would rectify the problem completely to ensure such delays do not recur.

Commuters traveling through the network reported experiencing delays at both ends of their journeys. V. Govindarajan, a resident of Tambaram and a frequent Metro user, encountered the disruption while traveling from the Chennai Airport station to Government Estate on Tuesday morning.

Mr. Govindarajan noted that increased crowding occurred at the Chennai Airport entry gates and the Government Estate exit gates because the ticketing gates were reading NCMC cards slowly, leading to longer waiting times. He urged authorities to schedule and execute software upgrades in a manner that avoids peak-hour commuting disruptions when passengers are rushing to reach their workplaces.