Southern Railway has facilitated the purchase of tickets through the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) app from February 1 in Chennai.
“Tickets for suburban train services can be booked through the UTS mobile app only in the sections of Chennai Suburban Terminus-Tiruvallur, Royapuram-Gummidipoondi, Beach-Chengalpattu and Beach-Velachery (MRTS),” an official release said on Sunday.
In view of the pandemic, the mobile ticketing facility will not be available from 6.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. “Season tickets and platform tickets will not be issued through the app for the time being. The journey should commence within one hour of booking the ticket through the app,” B. Guganesan, chief public relations officer, said in the release.
Exclusive counters for app recharge will be opened at suburban counters in Dr.M.G.R. Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore, Chennai Beach, Mambalam, Tambaram, Perambur, Avadi, Tiruvottiyur and at Chennai Park Town and Velachery (MRTS) during non-peak hours. “For the time being, the facility of booking tickets through the UTS app will be available only in the Chennai suburban area,” it said.
The app provides multiple e-payment options for topping up of rail wallet (R-Wallet). Recharge of R-Wallet can be done online through the IRCTC website (www.irctc.co.in), as well as at station ticket counters. A 5% cash bonus is offered for recharge on the UTS app.
As for geofencing, tickets can be booked through the UTS app in the range of 5 km to 30-metre radius of suburban railway stations. If the commuter is inside the 30-metre radius of a railway station, UTS bookings will not be possible. “Chennai suburban commuters are requested to extensively use UTS app,” the release said.
