Chennai: For thousands of commuters, an insufficient balance on their Singara Chennai Metro cards often becomes apparent only when automatic gates deny them entry, forcing them to queue at ticket counters to check their balance and recharge.
S Gopala Krishnan, a software engineer and regular commuter from Vadapalani, said, “In Delhi and Bengaluru metro stations, the available balance is displayed on the screen when the card is tapped at the entry gates.
Nearly 1.2 lakh of the 3.2 lakh commuters who use the metro every day travel with Singara Chennai Metro cards. Chennai Metro Rail currently operates three lines covering approximately 68.8 km, following the opening of the 14.6km first Phase II stretch between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani on Oct 11, 2026. The problem also adds to congestion at ticket counters, where nearly 97,000 passengers buy paper tickets every day.
Several commuters said they do not receive text message alerts about their balance. Commuters said a dedicated online platform or mobile application to check their balance and recharge their cards would make travel easier. Yet, there is no easy way to check the available balance online or through a mobile app. the card has no option to check the available balance Although users can recharge their card using the QR code printed on it.