Even as holiday season is set to set in, the Central Railway (CR) authorities have resorted to curtailing the number of ticket booking windows at Nagpur Division leaving travellers in the lurch. Bharatiya Yatri Kendra (BYK) has taken up the issue with Commercial Branch, protesting the shutting down of passenger reservation system (PRS) windows at Nagpur and Ajni units. They contended that the paper ticket is still quite popular and Railways might have its own reasons for abandoning the same but it is fraught with danger as it is warding the travellers off the traditional system. Basant Shukla, Secretary, BYK, said, he was dismayed at seeing long queues at the station PRS counter. On inquiry, it was learnt that the Railways has decided to reduce the number of ticket windows by 2 at every unit.

 

Due to the closure of ticket windows, the citizens, now, have to spend considerable time waiting for their turn in the queue. The decision stems from ongoing dowsizing move in the Railways with larger aim to reduce the staff size. Besides superannuation, many of the staffers have been moved to ticket checking and with shortage of enquiry-cum-clerk, the Railway is closing down PRS windows. Similarly, the number of current ticket counters also have been curtailed. From earlier six to only three now, the latest development is set to leave the general travellers in a fix, he added. Shukla also said, during a routine visit to Nagpur Railway Station, one gets surprised to witness that even senior citizens, cancer patients for whom a dedicate window used to be in place, were standing in queue.

 

This was due to closure of dedicated window meant for them as of the five PRS windows on Western side, now only two are kept open. There used to be four counters on the Santra Market side of the station, now only two remain open even as there is no let-up in queue for ticket booking. Also at Ajni unit, earlier four ticket windows were functioning and now only two are kept open by the administration. Therefore, any given day, one can see long queue at the booking windows. Shukla said, one major disadvantage to the travellers is due to long time taken for ticket booking, many a time their chance of getting confirmed ticket vanishes. Further, for the senior persons and patients standing in queue, it is quite taxing to keep standing for long time, awaiting for their turn to come, he added.

 

The BYK in a communication to Sr Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM) pointed out that now post completion of SSC and HSC exams, the rush at the counters will increase as families then start making planning for undertaking tours. Also, for marriage season in summer, the people are going to line-up to book tickets in advance. In such scenario, extra counters would ensure faster booking of tickets. However, the curtailment of ticket windows is a fait accompli for the travellers, as they are being force to take recourse to on-line platform for ticket booking, which has its own disadvantages. In the name of cost-cutting, Railways is deliberately forcing hardship on common citizens. Yes, these days, one can book ticket through digital mode, but the problem is that many a time due to heavy rush the tickets do not get confirmed even after long wait. Thus to ensure that one can travel without worry, people still prefer paper ticket.