A REPORT

ON

FARE COLLECTION SYSTEM AT

CHENNAI METRO RAIL LIMITED

BY

NAME ID NUMBER DISCIPLINE

SIDDHARTH SURESH 2017B4A81020G M.Sc.(Hons.) in Mathematics

and B.E(Hons.) in Electronics

and Instrumentation Engineering

Prepared in partial fulfillment of the

Practice School – I Course

AT

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL)

A Practice School – I station of

BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

(May - July 2019)

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BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, PILANI

Station: Chennai Metro Rail Limited Centre: Chennai Metro Rail

Duration: 53 days

Date of Start: 21st May 2019

Date of Submission: 13th July 2019

Title of Project: A study on the fare collection system at Chennai Metro Rail Limited

NAME ID NUMBER DISCIPLINE

SIDDHARTH SURESH 2017B4A81020G M.Sc.(Hons.) in Mathematics

and B.E(Hons.) in Electronics

and Instrumentation Engineering

Name of expert: Mr. Kannan S

Name of PS Faculty: Mr. Shashank Tiwari

Abstract: This project report is about the fare collection system at the Chennai Metro stations. The first

half of the report deals with the internal working of RFID system and the various parts of the system. The

latter half deals with the actual components of the fare collection system and how they work together.

This report also highlights some of the inefficiencies in this otherwise efficient system
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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Kannan and Mrs. Sangeetha of CMRL , who made this project

possible with their support and guidance. I like to thank our PS faculty, Mr. Shashank Tiwari for

coordinating with the HR department to ensure a seamless integration into this workplace. Besides this, I

would like to thank the PS Division of BITS Pilani and CMRL for giving us this opportunity of training at

CMRL.
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Table of contents

1.Introduction

2.RFID systems

2.1 Working of RFID systems

2.2 RFID readers

2.3 RFID tags

2.4 RFID antennas

3.Ticketing system at stations

3.1 AFC systems

3.2 AG (Automatic Gates)

3.2.1 Entry Gates

3.2.2 Exit Gates

3.3 Swing Gate

3.4 TVM (Ticket Vending Machine)

3.5 Ticket Office Machine

3.6 Add value machine

3.7 Ticket reader

4. Information Collection System

5. Conclusion

6. References
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1.Introduction

The Chennai Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Chennai. The system commenced service in

2015 after partially opening the first phase of the project. The network consists of lines covering a length of 45

kilometres. It is the third largest metro system in India after Delhi Metro and Hyderabad Metro. The Chennai

Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), a joint venture between Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu

built and operates the Chennai Metro. The system has a mix of underground and elevated stations. As of April

2019, about 102,000 people use the service on a daily basis. There are 42 trains with four coaches each,

making a total of 168 coaches, operating in the first phase. The sheer volume of passengers requires the use of

an efficient ticketing system to collect fares, which is analyzed by this project report.
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2. RFID systems

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radio frequency waves to

transfer data. Tagging items with RFID tags allows users to automatically and uniquely identify and track

inventory and assets. RFID takes auto-ID technology to the next level by allowing tags to be read without

line of sight and, depending on the type of RFID, having a read range between a few centimetres to over

20+ meters.

2.1 Working of RFID systems

RFID belongs to a group of technologies referred to as Automatic Identification and Data Capture

(AIDC). AIDC methods automatically identify objects, collect data about them, and enter those

data directly into computer systems with little or no human intervention. RFID methods utilize

radio waves to accomplish this. At a simple level, RFID systems consist of three components: an

RFID tag or smart label, an RFID reader, and an antenna. RFID tags contain an integrated circuit

and an antenna, which are used to transmit data to the RFID reader (also called an interrogator).

The reader then converts the radio waves to a more usable form of data. Information collected

from the tags is then transferred through a communications interface to a host computer system,

where the data can be stored in a database and analyzed at a later time.

2.2 RFID readers

An RFID reader is the brain of the RFID system and is necessary for any system to function.

Readers, also called interrogators, are devices that transmit and receive radio waves in order to

communicate with RFID tags. RFID readers are typically divided into two distinct types – Fixed

and Mobile RFID readers. Fixed readers stay in one location and are typically mounted on walls,

on desks, into portals, or other stationary locations. Fixed readers are used at Chennai Metro

stations.

2.3 RFID tags

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An RFID tag in its most simplistic form is comprised of two parts – an antenna for transmitting

and receiving signals, and an RFID chip (or integrated circuit, IC) which stores the tag’s ID and

other information. RFID tags are affixed to items in order to track them using an RFID reader and

antenna.

RFID tags transmit data about an item through radio waves to the antenna/reader combination.

RFID tags typically do not have a battery. Instead, they generated by the reader. When the tag

receives the transmission from the reader/antenna, the energy runs through the internal antenna to

the tag’s chip. The energy activates the chip, which modulates the energy with the desired

information, and then transmits a signal back toward the antenna/reader.

2.4 RFID antennas

RFID antennas are necessary elements in an RFID system because they convert the RFID

reader’s signal into RF waves that can be picked up by RFID tags. Without some type of RFID

antenna, whether integrated or standalone, the RFID reader cannot properly send and receive

signals to RFID tags.

Unlike RFID readers, RFID antennas are dumb devices that receive their power directly from the

reader. When the reader’s energy is transmitted to the antenna, the antenna generates an RF field

and, subsequently, an RF signal is transmitted to the tags in the vicinity. The antenna’s efficiency

in generating waves in a specific direction is known as the antenna’s gain. To put it simply, the

higher the gain, the more powerful, and further-reaching RF field an antenna will have.
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3. Ticketing system at stations

3.1 AFC Systems

CMRL has adopted an Automated Fare Collection System for Ticketing and passenger control

purposes. The Automatic Fare Collection system enhances the passenger experience at the CMRL

Metro Stations. It simply adds character to the Metro Station with the swanky array of Automatic

Gates, the ever efficient Ticket Vending Machines, the passenger-friendly Add Value Machines

in addition to the traditional Ticket Office Machine counters.

It’s the array of Automatic Gates that classify the CMRL Metro Station into an Un-paid area and

Paid area. A passenger needs a valid CMRL Travel Card or a Token to enter into the paid area

from where he can go ahead and board a Metro Train. The passenger is in the paid area until he

exits from the Automatic Gates at his destination Metro Station.

There are 3 types of ticketing media in the system. (CST – Contactless Smart Tokens, CSC-

Contactless Smart Cards, P-CSC – Paper Contactless Smart Cards)

The CST is to be used for a single journey. For frequent travelers , the Contactless Smart Cards

will come in handy as they do not have to queue up at the stations to get a ticket every time they

wish to travel and the fare applicable to the CSC are discounted against the base fare for Tokens.

3.2 AG (Automatic Gates)

3.2.1 Entry Gates

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On tapping the valid Token/Card at the AG reader, flaps open and provide access to

passengers, enabling them to pass through to the paid area.

3.2.2 Exit Gates

Drop the valid Token inside the token acceptor slot of the AG before exit. The Flap opens

and provides access to passengers enabling them to pass through the unpaid area.

Passengers using Travel cards need to tap the Travel card at the AG before exit. The Flap

opens and provides access to passengers enabling them to pass through the unpaid area.

3.3 Swing Gate

In case of Group Tickets, the passengers are allowed to pass through Swing Gate on showing

Group Ticket.

3.4 TVM(Ticket Vending Machine)

The Ticket Vending Machines can be used to purchase Tokens. It accepts designated Currency

Notes and Coins towards the purchase of Tokens. Change is dispensed in Coins. Provision for

change as Currency notes and use of Debit/Credit Card will be provided in future.

A passenger can buy up to six tokens from the TVM and recharge the Travel Cards (Stored

Value). A passenger can buy a ticket by selecting a station from the Chennai Metro Route Map or

by fare if he knows the fare for the destination station.

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3.5 Ticket Office Machine (TOM)

Ticket Office Machine (TOM) is a regular manned counter available at each station for purchase

& recharge of CMRL Travel Card and purchase of Tokens.

3.6 Add value machine

These are machines which can be used by passengers inside the paid area to recharge their CMRL

Travel Card by Cash.

It is to be noted that AVM doesn’t dispense any change so passengers are requested to put the

exact denomination of bank notes as displayed on the AVM Screen. It can also be used for

checking the travel history of CSC cards.

3.7 Ticket Reader(TR)

Ticket Reader (TR) is used to check the current balance or status of CMRL Travel Card or

Tokens when placed over it. Every Customer Care Center has 2 sets of TR on either side of paid

and unpaid area separated by AG. The current ticket reader is faulty in many stations as the reader

only reads sony cards, while the metro cards contain cards made by Sony and Philips. After some

literature review, the Oracle Micros tablet 721 was suggested.

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4. Information collection system

The footfall at each station is sent from a computer located at each station to a central computer on a daily

basis. This helps the employees identify mismatches in the recorded values and helps them suggest

corrections. These values are also released to the press. Any technical glitch in the ticketing system is

identified using this data. The data from the entry and exit gates at each station is collected and observed.

The stations having a mismatch were identified by us using SQL queries. The necessary corrections will

be made in the communication between the ticketing system and the central computer.
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5. Conclusion

The fare collection system at a metro station is very important for smooth passenger flow and efficient

collection of money from the passengers. This project report analyses the important components of the

system that enable seamless travel of passengers. It is important that every component of the system

functions without any glitches. For this, it is important that there is no mismatch between the recorded

number of passengers entering and exiting metro stations. It is also important that the electronic devices

are compatible with the metro cards. A thorough literature review of RFID systems enabled us to pinpoint

the problem with the existing RFID scanners and helped us suggest corrections.
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6. References

❏ CMRL manuals on RFID systems

❏ CMRL official website