Western Railway : Go from Good to Great
Context :
WR to install dual display screen to curb overcharging passengers …. HT / 15 Jan 2024
Extract :
In a bid to simplify and make the railway ticket booking procedure transparent, especially for the labourers and migrant workers, who end up paying more money at the ticket booking counters, the Western Railway (WR) is trying out a measure that could prevent passengers from being wrongly overcharged.
A dual display information screen is being tried and tested which will be installed outside the ticket booths. When a passenger books a train ticket for a long-distance journey from the ticket window counter at the station, the information about the journey and total fare is clearly displayed on the screen. This screen will be like a large 32-36-inch TV set installed vertically next to the ticket window connected to the computerised system of the ticket window. The screen will show the departing station and destination, total fare, and passenger names among other details in multilingual form.
“With this dual display screen, everything that the staff seated on the ticket booking window does in the system is visible to the passenger outside. We are working out the correct font size, pattern of information to be displayed and other parameters for this system which will be installed at ticket counters. We want to make it more interactive and animated so that it’s understandable to everyone. We will keep the total ticket amount in a large font for everyone to see clearly,” explained a WR official on condition of anonymity.
The WR authorities have already given the contract after the tendering process. Some portion of this screen will be used for information and advertisement purposes. According to sources in the railways, there have been allegations in the past where the personnel sitting at the ticket counter charges extra in the name of Superfast fare or Express fare and pockets the amount.
Explaining it further, a railway police official said that there have been instances where in the morning hours and when tatkal booking is on; passengers are in a hurry and after paying the fare amount, the change in return is paid less by the unscrupulous staff and pocket the balance. The passenger associations also support this proposed system which they feel will curb incidents of passengers especially those travelling in Sleeper and General Class getting fooled into paying higher fares.
The migrants and labourers are the ones who are usually gullible and end up paying unwanted charges or more than the fare. The railways should simplify the display board as much as possible for everyone to understand,” said Subhash Gupta, president, of Rail Yatri Parishad.
My Take :
Dear Ashwini Vaishnawji ( Railway Minister ) :
Congratulations for this initiative which will bring transparency to the entire ticketing process at PHYSICAL ticketing booth
This kind of transparency is already existing for ONLINE ticket booking through IRCTC website
There is even a Mobile App for booking tickets [ IRCTC Rail Connect ]
How about integrating these two systems so that , in addition to those large screens outside physical booths , same data also appears on the IRCTC app ?
Then , the ticket buyer will have a permanent proof on his mobile – which , he can show while boarding the train or when asked by a roving Ticket Inspector
That is not all . By integrating the two systems, passenger would know his Bogey No / Seat No ( on the App ) , thereby minimizing confusion and quarrels between co-passengers . It can also alert the passenger about the Platform Number ( from train is to depart ) and possible departure time ( late departure )
And , should the ticket buyer have any complaints to lodge re any process or any person , he could use the same Mobile App for providing such feedback to the WR authority
Incidentally , how about this large screen also DYNAMICALLY showing, the number of SEATS / BIRTHS remaining AVAILABLE ( vacant ) , on that train ( separately , for 1st class and 2nd class ) ?
I presume , once WR starts this system , Central Railway will follow suit
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.HemenParekh.ai / 15 Jan 2024
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