The Western Railway’s (WR) ambitious plan of installing over 150 more automated ticket vending machines (ATVMs) might not be able to reduce the long queues outside ticket booking windows.
Reason: WR has not got new smart card readers required for refilling the cards.
There are only 34 card readers for the 115 ATVMs on WR’s entire suburban network. This number is proving insufficient because there are no dedicated windows to facilitate the refilling of smart cards.
Typically, a single window is reserved for smart card readers and commuters seeking to buy or refill cards have to stand in long queues with those who want to buy rail tickets.
But Sharat Chandrayan, chief public relations officer, WR, denied the claim that the number of smart cards readers is low. “People don’t have to often stand in long queues to refill their smart cards.
The problem is about fewer number of ATVMs and we are addressing the issue. We will soon get 80 new ATVMs and 75 more will be added in the months to come,” he added.
Around 450 new smart cards are issued every day and around 3,000 users recharge their cards at the 115 ATVMs on the western line daily.
The WR earns around Rs3.75 lakh a day from 30,000 tickets that are issued by ATVMs. Such heavy utilisation of this unreserved ticketing system points to the need of better arrangements. So, more smart card readers with dedicated windows are necessary because just adding more ATVMs will only increase the burden at the booking offices.
The administration has proposed to buy 100 new card readers, which will enable smart card users to top up their cards.
Reason: WR has not got new smart card readers required for refilling the cards.
There are only 34 card readers for the 115 ATVMs on WR’s entire suburban network. This number is proving insufficient because there are no dedicated windows to facilitate the refilling of smart cards.
Typically, a single window is reserved for smart card readers and commuters seeking to buy or refill cards have to stand in long queues with those who want to buy rail tickets.
But Sharat Chandrayan, chief public relations officer, WR, denied the claim that the number of smart cards readers is low. “People don’t have to often stand in long queues to refill their smart cards.
The problem is about fewer number of ATVMs and we are addressing the issue. We will soon get 80 new ATVMs and 75 more will be added in the months to come,” he added.
Around 450 new smart cards are issued every day and around 3,000 users recharge their cards at the 115 ATVMs on the western line daily.
The WR earns around Rs3.75 lakh a day from 30,000 tickets that are issued by ATVMs. Such heavy utilisation of this unreserved ticketing system points to the need of better arrangements. So, more smart card readers with dedicated windows are necessary because just adding more ATVMs will only increase the burden at the booking offices.
The administration has proposed to buy 100 new card readers, which will enable smart card users to top up their cards.
