IN a major setback to long-distance train travellers, the Indian Railways has decided not to paste reservation charts on train coaches across the country from today.
According to Mumbai Mirror, the reason for the move is that about 70 percent of the 11 lakh railway tickets sold daily across the country are booked over the internet. Main stations like CST, Mumbai Central and other stations have already stopped Charting, or the pasting of reservation charts on train coaches for four months. But the railway authorities have said that physical charts would continue to be stuck on soft boards at platforms. And according to a circular issued by Ministry of Railways, all stations will soon be equipped with electronic charts that will display the relevant details of each passenger, or with kiosks that will throw up information on the input of the PNR.
Sunil Udasi, chief public relations officer, Central Railways told the leading daily, “And nearly everyone who books a ticket, including at the ticketing window, supplies a phone number to which relevant details regarding the tickets and the journey are sent. So, if you have a ticket in your email/phone, why would you need a reservation chart posted on each compartment.”
The railways are focusing on e-tickets which will have papers, adding to which Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relation officer, Western Railway told the leading daily, “The focus will be on e-tickets, sending reservation information through SMS, digital display at platforms. Alternatively, people can also dial 139 for IVR assistance, or approach the TTE of the train.”