The Central Railway has planned to provide umbrella services under its proposed coin-based ticket vending machines. The commercial department of CR has asked companies to prepare these coin-operated ticket machines, which can print and issue multi-purpose tickets of specified amount. So, If someone buys a ticket of `5 at Kurla station via the coin operated machine, then the person can use the ticket to go either to Dadar, Ghatkopar, Wadala or Mankhurd station or use it as a platform ticket.
Confirming the move, general manager, CR, Mr Subodh Jain said, “Yes, we have planned to sell multi-purpose tickets of specified amount from coin-operated ticket machines. We want to use advanced technology to facilitate the passengers and this initiative is one of them. We have some hurdles to launch this, but if it is launched, this would be the most popular and convenient mode of ticketing.”
Mr Jain further added that the Railway’s decision to round off all ticket fares for suburban services has paved way for the initiative of providing multi-purpose tickets. “This is definitely going to cut short the length of the queues at booking counters and get popularised as it’s a multi-faceted utility,” he said.
Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee member, Rajiv Singal said, “Any move to reduce the length of queue is always welcomed, but the Railway will have to work out to stop its possible misuse also. The present ticketing system allows to start journey within one hour and if this provision remains same in the coin tickets also, then a passenger could use it as platform ticket also and later on, he can travel in train in any direction by the same ticket too.”