Chennai Metro Ticketing Glitch Leaves Commuters Stranded for Nearly an Hour

A technical glitch in the Chennai Metro Rail ticketing system inconvenienced commuters during peak hours on Tuesday evening, disrupting ticket purchases and station exits for nearly an hour.

The technical issue affected ticketing services across Metro stations, leaving passengers struggling to enter and exit stations. Commuters were unable to purchase tickets or scan their digital tickets at Automated Fare Collection (AFC) gates.

Chennai Metro Ticketing System Disruption

The disruption affected both passengers waiting to board trains and those attempting to exit after completing their journeys. The malfunction also reportedly prevented ticket counter staff from printing tickets, adding to the inconvenience.

G Venkatesan, secretary of the TN Secretariat Association, told DT Next that he boarded a train at Government Estate Metro station and reached Vadapalani Phase I station at around 6:15 PM.

Although he had booked his ticket through the Chennai Metro mobile app, he was unable to scan it at the AFC gate due to the technical issue.

Venkatesan said he was stranded inside the station for nearly an hour. He also highlighted the difficulties faced by ticket counter staff, who were unable to issue printed tickets during the disruption.

Peak-Hour Disruption Causes Commuter Frustration

The ticketing glitch caused considerable frustration among daily commuters who rely on Chennai Metro for convenient and reliable transportation.

Venkatesan noted that he was unsure whether all Metro stations were affected but expressed concern about such disruptions occurring during peak travel hours.

Normal ticketing and station exit operations were restored after approximately an hour.

Chennai Metro Commuters Face Digital Ticketing Challenges

The incident highlights the importance of reliable digital ticketing systems and uninterrupted AFC gate operations, particularly during evening peak hours.

With thousands of passengers depending on Chennai Metro for daily travel, technical disruptions can lead to delays, overcrowding and inconvenience across the network.