A ticket counter opened near platform 10 at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) railway station in the city to issue unreserved and platform tickets, mostly to Namma Metro passengers, is steadily gaining popularity.
In the initial days, the response from the passengers for this makeshift counter was poor as only 80 tickets were sold on the first day (June 7).
Later, it started gaining popularity among the passengers. On an average, 350-400 tickets are sold every day.
On some occasions, the number crosses 700.
Though the response from the passengers is improving gradually, railway officials say the counter lacks patronage.
According to them, at least 1,200 tickets should be issued in a single shift.
N S Sridhar Murthy, senior divisional commercial manager, Bengaluru division, South Western Railway, told Deccan Herald that the counter needs more business.
“Good business means, a counter should sell close to 400 tickets by 8 am and should cross the 1,200 target in one single shift,” Murthy said.
The makeshift counter will be considered as doing good business only when it is able to sell 2,400 tickets in a single day, as the counter operates in two shifts between 8 am and
10 pm.
Revenue aspect apart, passengers are upbeat about the opening of the counter.
Devegowda, an employee of BMRCL, said he often travels to Mysuru.
Now, it has become easy for him to buy a ticket for boarding a train which leaves the station from platform number 10.
Counter lacks publicity
Many passengers are still not aware of the makeshift arrangement as it lacks publicity. Nowhere, either on the road which leads to platform 10 from Okalipuram or at the Metro station (near the KSR railway station), passengers find information about the counter.
Only regular commuters are aware of it.
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