ATVMs will be installed at five railway stations under Danapur division

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) will be installed at five railway stations of grade A and middle grade categories under Danapur rail  division to falicitate the passengers get unreserved tickets for their destination through money cards (MCs). This facility will start from next fiscal.

Ara Station Manger, S N Pathak, said that at least 110 trains pass through Ara and  about 60,000 passengers travel daily and 12,000 from Bihia railway station alone. He said tickets for different destination are booked through 12 windows at Ara railway station and at least 10,000 to 15,000 passengers take tickets from ticket counters at Ara railway station. Besides, two ticket booking agent private counters are also working outside the railway premises and over 8,000 passengers book their tickets there. Most of the tickets are booked for Patna followed by Varanasi, Buxar, Sasaram and Bhabua. With the installation of the ATVMs, number of booking for unreserved tickets will increase manifold.

SM Pathak 0said that the rail administration has allotted 20 ATVMs to Danapur rail division to be installed at grade A and middle grade categories stations under the division. He said that 4 ATVMs each will be installed at Ara and Buxar railway stations while two each at Bihia, Raghunathpur and Dumraon railway stations. With the installation of ATVMs, the passengers who complain that they could not take tickets due to long queue fro the booking counters and were  forced to travel without tickets, will be able to take unreserved tickets for their destination from the ATVMs at the railway platforms through MC resembling the ATM cards.

He said that any passenger may get the MC from the railway booking counter after showing their ID proof. The MC may be recharged with Rs 100 to over Rs 1,000 at the railway stations. A separate counter for the purpose will be opened at the railway stations. He stated that a passenger can get ticket for any destination, book retiring rooms, get MST, recharge smart cards. A passenger may get ticket by cash besides smart cards and even cancel the tickets. The money of the cancelled tickets will be credited in the MC. The SM further said that with the installation of the ATVMs at railway stations, the passengers can get tickets of their desired destination with ease and will be able to travel with tickets.