The new app is a joint initiative of Delhi Metro and AutoPe Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd. that seeks to provide seamless access to metro rides while making the commute time count.

According to reports, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) plans to expand the ‘digilockers’ facilities to the majority of its stations by June 2024.

The Delhi Metro is the first mass rapid transit system in the country to introduce such unique facilities for commuters, officials told news agency PTI.

What is this digilocker service?

A Delhi Metro commuter can rent a ‘smart box’ or digilocker at any of the 50 stations on Lines 1-7 and the Airport Line, on the go. These ‘smart boxes’ have been installed in a grid format and each station has a set of 83-90 digital lockers, with a console at the centre, news agency PTI reported.

In what situation can it be used?

Suppose you are going for a movie or an interview and want to safely keep your handbag or cameras for a few hours at someplace. Here’s when you can rent a smart box or a digital-locker at Delhi Metro stations to put your belongings in for a brief period of time.

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Explaining these lockers, a DMRC official told PTI, “Think of these digi-lockers akin to the ‘cloakroom’ facility provided at stations of the Indian Railways, but the metro facility is driven by an app powered by a cutting-edge digital platform, which enhances the experience of riders while allowing them an option to do more than travel all while on the go.”

For how long one can rent a digilocker

“Using this app, a person can rent a locker at any of these stations, from a minimum of one hour and up to six hours. Penal amount will be charged if the time limit exceeds the period for which the digi-locker has been rented,” Anurag Bajpai, founder of AutoPe Payment Solution, told PTI.

How to rent a digilocker?

STEP 1: For renting a digilocker, a user will have to download the DMRC Momentum 2.0 app on their phone.

STEP 2: Once the user logs in with his/her name, mobile number and email id, the option of ‘rent-a-locker’ will appear on the app interface.

STEP 3: Once the ‘Rent A Locker’ icon is pressed, it asks the user to select a metro station, date, time, and duration of renting in number of hours, and locker size – small ( ₹20 per hour), medium ( ₹30 per hour) or large ( ₹40 per hour), and the available time slots.

STEP 4: After filling in the required information, the user will have to then select the “proceed to pay” option below.

STEP 5: After payment, a PIN number will be generated which will be displayed on the app interface, and which is valid for both drop and pick-up of a package.

STEP 6: For dropping a package, a user will have to choose the ‘drop package’ tab from the home page of the console, and then after entering the authorised PIN, the digilocker will open automatically, without any manual intervention.

“There is no physical lock or key in this system, it is all a digital platform-driven system,” Anurag Bajpai, founder of AutoPe Payment Solution said.

Where are these digilockers available?

The stations with the digilocker facility include, Rajiv Chowk, Millennium City Centre Gurugram, Dwarka Sector 10, Supreme Court, Pul Bangash, Netaji Subhash Place, Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda), Dilshad Garden, Noida City Centre, Anand Vihar, Tughlakabad, Sarita Vihar, Moolchand and IP Extension.

Online purchasing and courier facility

The app — ‘Momentum 2.0’ — also allows commuters to do online purchases from listed e-commerce companies through ‘virtual stores’ located at 20 metro stations, send a courier via a smart box (digilocker) and buy QR code-based tickets.

For online purchase

For making an online purchase from a ‘virtual store’, a user needs to just scan a QR code displayed on a wall of the set up at a metro station, and then it will ask for the station at which the delivery is to be made.

“After scanning the code, the item on sale will be displayed, and then payment can be done and the destination station needs to be mentioned where the item will be delivered. It will be kept in a digilocker from which it can be picked up by the buyer later,” a senior official of the AutoPe Payment Solutions said.

For using the courier service

“A user can choose the service from the app, and mention the address where a courier needs to be sent and then choose the station where it is being deposited,” Bajpai said.

“The courier will then be picked by the partner courier agency, so a user won’t have to go to a post office or a courier agency, and the package will be delivered at its destination,” he said

“The future plan is to have a hyperlocal courier delivery, wherein a courier can be picked up by the recipient from a metro station only on the same day when it is delivered,” he added.

Other Delhi Metro services through app

1. The app also offers the option to buy QR code-based tickets for all metro lines, including the Airport Line, eliminating the need for multiple apps in turn enhancing user experience, the DMRC said.

2. A Delhi Metro smart card’s recharging as well as transaction details of the card can also be seen in the app. There is also an option for commuters to give standing instructions in the app for ‘auto top-up’ in case the balance falls below a minimum defined value.

3. The users will also be able to pay utility bills such as electricity bills, gas bills, mobile bills, DTH bills, FASTag payments, etc easily, the DMRC added.

4. At a metro station, the app also provides station-related information, along with details of the location of facilities, gates, lifts, escalators, platforms and first and last train timings. “As the time of arrival is based on the destination, a bike or cab can be made ready to receive a passenger at the exact time in the designated area,” officials said.

5. Food outlets or ATMs can also be located with the app. Also, it offers information on shops, outlets, kiosks, and ATMs available at metro stations.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Updated: 02 Nov 2023, 10:39 PM IST