ATVM usage up by 11 per cent in last 2 years: Central Railway

Central Railway’s suburban commuters have finally started using Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) predominantly. Railway ticket data from January to June this year has revealed that the number of commuters buying card tickets has dropped significantly to 50 per cent, down 10 per cent from its earlier 60 per cent in 2014. The major shift in preferences to ATVM via smart card occurred in the last two years. CR officials who reviewed the ticketing position in July said the figures till June show that ATVM users have increased from a mere 16 per cent at its inception to a whopping 32 per cent this year.

CR officials said it was a welcome shift as they have been promoting the use of ATVM, so the serpentine queues at ticket counters could be averted.

“Many commuters have a pass, but when they travel on a route they don’t use regularly, they would buy a ticket from the counter instead of using a ATVM. Those who come to the city from outside or manual labourers who have to travel in search of work should ideally be the only people using the ticket counter,” said a CR official on condition of anonymity.

Officials said that common Mumaikars could afford a smart card and use it whenever they travel on a different route.

In 2014, the number of tickets sold on the CR at its counter was 60 per cent, while only 21 per cent of commuters used smart cards at the ATVM. The remaining used Jansadharan Ticket Booking System (JTBS), mobile ticketing and Cash Coin Ticket Vending Machines (CoVTM) but the percentage was negligible.

In 2015, the number of commuters buying the ticket at the counter further came down to 54 per cent before reaching 50 in the first half of this year said officials, while 30 per cent used the ATVM.

Officials hope that most of the ticketing needs can be shifted to ATVM from ticket counters, as besides relief from long queues to the commuters, railways will be able to cut down its man power requirement.

“We will continue to promote use of ATVM, JTBS and mobile ticketing, “said Narendra Patil, chief public relations officer.