JOIN USThe ticket-checkers on board Rajdhani Express would soon be seen carrying hand-held computers, instead of the reservation chart.
The Northern Railway has decided to induct the palmtops in Rajdhani trains after the pilot project introduced in some of the Shatabdi Express trains in 2009 has proved to be a success.
The palmtop replaces the reservation list carried by the Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs). The palmtops, connected to the central server, will enable the TTE to update the status of passengers who turn up for the journey.
It would reflect the status of available seats on a train across the railway network, which could be booked by any passenger willing to board it in at the next station.
“The experiment with Shatabdi trains has been successful. Now we are planning to extend the system in some of the Rajdhanis in our zone. It not only increases the efficiency of railway employees, but also ensures transparency in booking of tickets on board trains,” said S K Sharma, Northern Railway spokesperson.
The system has been devised by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), an autonomus organisation under ministry of railways providing consultancy and IT services to the public transporter.
Currently, the system is being used in Amritsar, Ajmer and Dehradun Shatabdi. Railway officials involved with the project counted several advantages of the palmtops.
“Once the TTE updates the number of passengers who boarded the train, the status is updated across the railway network. Any passenger willing to board the train could get the ticket booked from the boarding station or even the TTE can book the ticket on board. While it is beneficial for passengers, it also helps the railways from losing revenue,” a railway official involved with the project said.
However, the railway officials conceded that the palmtops still have ‘connectivity’ problem.
“Like mobiles, the palmtops also face connectivity problem on some stretches. However, it would be sorted out soon,” a railway official said.
The official added that CRIS is likley to induct the system in trains in other railway zones as well.