Hyderabad: The South Central Railway (SCR) is working continuously towards digitalization. In this direction, the zone is encouraging the purchase of unreserved tickets through ATVMs and the UTS mobile app. This has facilitated the rail users greatly, and now, out of the total unreserved tickets purchased across the zone, 44% of the tickets are being purchased through ATVMs and the UTS App.
In view of the ensuing festival and summer season, South Central Railway appealed to rail users to utilize the UTS mobile application and automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) provided at railway stations for convenient purchasing of unreserved tickets.
More than 300 ATVMs have been installed at 147 major & medium stations across the Zone. These machines consist of a touch screen and can be accessed easily through a menu-driven process. Payment can be made through smart cards purchased at counters or through any UPI app by scanning the QR code displayed on the screen. Facilitators will also be available at most of these stations to guide the passengers. Rail users can obtain the tickets on their own or through facilitators at these ATVMs, and there is no extra cost involved in this process.
The UTS app is a big leap in the modern ticketing system and a boon to the huge segment of passengers on Indian Railways who travel on unreserved tickets. The App enables the passengers to purchase tickets beyond 15 meters and within 10 Km from the journey commencement station in the case of suburban stations and beyond 15 meters and within 20 Km from the journey commencement station in the case of non-suburban stations. If passengers are near station premises, they can also purchase tickets by scanning a station-specific QR code at the station. It enables passengers to purchase unreserved Journey tickets, Platform, and season tickets through their mobile at their convenience without the hassle of waiting in long queues at the booking counters. In line with the digital India initiative, the app enables rail users to make payments through different digital modes such as R-Wallet, other UPI-based apps, internet banking, etc. Anyone with a smartphone of Android, IOS, and Windows versions of the operating system can download the app free of cost. The UTS app is user-friendly and consists of various key features such as Multi-Language Support and Help tab, which provides different kinds of customer support, including a step-by-step guide on how to use the app, helpline numbers, and FAQs.SCR General Manager Arun Kumar Jain requested the esteemed rail users to utilize these options of ATVMs and UTS mobile apps to purchase unreserved tickets without standing in the queue. These facilities make their journey convenient and comfortable. (INN)