Northern Railway to introduce e-ticketing through ATM kiosks

Phagwara, Feb 17 (UNI) The Northern Railway (NR) will soon introduce e-ticketing through ATM kiosks at all major railway stations to facilitate the railway passengers.

Railway sources told UNI here today that NR would set up 305 ATMs at different major railway stations and the facility would be available free-of-cost to passengers.

Railways will provide the space for banks to set up ATMs at stations. These ATMs will have internet ticketing kiosks, which will enable users to generate e-tickets.

Sources said the Railway board had selected seven nationalised banks for the installation of ATMs with the e-ticketing facility for reserved, unreserved and platform tickets.

''The banks will tie-up with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), which will give permission to these banks for installing the ATMs depending on requirements,'' the sources added.

Railway sources said this facility would be of great help to passengers as they will be able to get their tickets by using debit or credit cards and by following simple instructions at the ATM kiosks.

Meanwhile, the Railways has already started a number of similar facilities for the convenience of passengers but they might take time to get popular.

''People, who are not that technology-savvy, want to continue with the old system. But it will pick up with time,'' they said.

On the other hand when asked about increasing rail accidents on unmanned railway crossings, they said the railway was working to convert these in to manned crossings different phases, but financial crisis was main hinderances in the immediate implementation of these projects.

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