The Hindu : Front Page : Move to promote `e-ticketing' facility

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 15, 2007
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Move to promote `e-ticketing' facility

S. Vijay Kumar

M. Suyambulingam — Photo: G. Moorthy

MADURAI: In a bid to ease congestion at reservation counters, the Madurai Division of the Southern Railway has planned to launch an intensive campaign to popularise the `e-ticketing' concept among passengers.

Talking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, the Additional Divisional Railway Manager, M. Suyambulingam, said that the focus was to achieve `zero queue' level at counters by propagating the advantages of booking tickets through Internet. At least 50 per cent of the travelling public had migrated to `e-ticketing' in metros. "Gone are the days when passengers had to stand in long queues for tickets. Now booking is just a few clicks away that can be done sitting at home or office. There will be no physical ticket. Passengers should take a printout of the computer-generated slip that will be a valid travel document. However, they have to carry a copy of the identity card used to book the ticket," he said.

By logging on to "www.irctc.co.in", passengers could access `e-ticketing.' The user-friendly page had 28 payment options through credit/debit cards. While no extra charge would be levied on tickets booked through `e-ticketing,' the scheme provided for options such as reservation till preparation of chart, choice of berth and class upgradation. Booking would be open between 4 a.m. and 11.30 p.m. Mr. Suyambulingam said that this value-added service had evoked good response in major stations.

In order to create awareness among the public, a temporary counter would be opened at the reservation complex where trained railway staff would assist passengers in booking `e-tickets'.

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