Busy Railway stations Mull ways to keep out ticketless Passengers
Extract
from the article:
Indian Railways is stepping up efforts to curb the growing issue of ticketless
travel, particularly at around 60 busy stations including major hubs like New
Delhi and Varanasi. The initiative aims to create a controlled entry
environment, where only passengers who have valid tickets can access platforms
and board trains. This move is motivated by concerns around revenue loss,
passenger safety, and operational efficiency. Currently, ticketless passengers
evade payments causing financial drain, while overcrowding at station entry
points complicates passenger management and security protocols.
The proposed measures include technological innovations,
stricter entry checks, and infrastructural changes tailored to busy railway
stations. The integration of automated gates and ticket verification systems is
on the table, alongside the possibility of real-time validation mechanisms.
Indian Railways is exploring a blend of human and digital interventions to make
ticket enforcement seamless but unobtrusive. The endeavour reflects an
increasing focus on systemic modernization to enhance overall commuter experience,
reduce irregularities, and optimize resource utilization across the network’s
busiest nodes.
My
Take:
A. Western
Railway : Go from Good to Great
In one of my earlier blogs, I applauded the initiative championed by Railway
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for bringing transparency to the physical ticketing
process, complimenting the existing online booking system’s efficiency. I
proposed a synchronized integration between physical ticket booths and IRCTC’s
mobile app, suggesting live updates on ticket availability, seat allocations,
and platform details be accessible instantly on passengers’ phones. This dual
transparency, I argued, would empower travelers with verifiable proofs,
reducing disputes and confusion during boarding.
Reflecting on the current focus on regulating entry strictly
to ticket-holders, I see my recommendations gaining fresh relevance. If
real-time data synchronization were implemented fully, it could seamlessly
complement the ongoing efforts to restrict platform access only to authorized
passengers. This would not only make crowd control easier but also enhance
accountability and passenger convenience. It reiterates my belief that
technological synergy between physical infrastructure and digital platforms is
key to solving long-standing challenges such as ticketless travel.
B. E-pass
by No Means Easy Pass
In this blog, I envisioned a future where biometric devices and mobile e-passes
could become the norm for boarding public transport like trains. I suggested a
scenario where passengers simply scan their mobile e-passes against biometric
authentication installed at train entrances, dramatically cutting down human
errors, fake tickets, and ticketless travel phenomena. This was ahead of its
time, but clearly prescient given the current dialogues around entry controls
at busy stations.
Looking at the efforts Indian Railways is making now, my
idea merges seamlessly with their goals. Automating and biometric validating
entries would address multiple pain points: faster entry, decreased ticketless
evasion, and improved security. It affirms that digital biometric verification
supplemented by mobile ticketing solutions is not only a futuristic ambition
but a practical pathway for today’s railway ecosystem. As these innovations
mature, ticket enforcement could evolve from a manual bottleneck into a
streamlined, near frictionless process.
C. Dear
Ashwini Vaishnawji, Congratulations
I previously lauded the Railway Ministry for launching steps toward
transparency at physical ticketing booths, noting how migrants and general
travelers often fell prey to unfair pricing due to opacity in fare displays. I
urged further integration of physical and online ticket data, thus ensuring
passengers have undeniable proof of purchase accessible anytime on their mobile
devices, reducing exploitation risks.
This is particularly poignant when stations now initiate
mechanisms to restrict entry exclusively to ticketed passengers. Transparent,
integrated ticketing information displayed uniformly across platforms and
personal devices will simplify verifications by gatekeepers and reduce
confusion. It also underlines the social equity dimension of ticket enforcement
systems — good governance and technology must together safeguard the
economically vulnerable from exploitation amid stricter access controls.
Call to
Action:
To the leadership and innovators within Indian Railways, especially at the
Ministry of Railways and station management teams: I urge you to take a
holistic approach by integrating your ticket validation gates with mobile and
online ticketing platforms like IRCTC Rail Connect. Deploy biometric and e-pass
technology as envisioned, but couple this with real-time, user-friendly
information shared transparently with passengers. Only then can we truly
transform busy stations into orderly, secure, and passenger-friendly gateways,
while eradicating ticketless travel effectively. Your decisive action here will
be a historic stride towards a smart, resilient railway network that serves
millions fairly and efficiently every day.
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
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