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Chennai: Suburban travel may have resumed close to pre-Covid-19 level, but railways are yet to make all automatic ticket vending machines operational at railway stations.
Though funds have been allocated at railway budgets to repair and replace the machines, most machines at suburban and MRTS stations are not working. The few that were working were being used by railways to issue tickets by posting a volunteer often drawn from retired railway staff in the pre-pandemic days. This practise too seems to have been discontinued due to the travel restrictions imposed due to Covid.
T Sadagopan, a consumer activist and commuter, said the machines are almost forgotten. “People do not use them on our route because many prefer to buy tickets from counters. This is also a reason why they fall into disuse.” He also said that “maintenance is key. The machines get jammed as people don’t know how to use them.”
The zone got Rs 5crore allocation in the budget for repair or replacement of the ticket vending machines this year. Similar allocation was also done last year, but no change was seen on the ground.
A railway official said steps were being taken to replace many of the machines as around 90% of the pre-Covid commuter traffic has resumed. “We have repaired a few machines in major stations like Central and Egmore where the number of tickets purchased is high. Around 50 machines have come and are being installed soon.”
Retired staff will also be roped in to sell tickets from these machines, said an official. The smart card based ticket vending machines were not popular among people even at stations that catered to commuters who are tech savvy.
Though funds have been allocated at railway budgets to repair and replace the machines, most machines at suburban and MRTS stations are not working. The few that were working were being used by railways to issue tickets by posting a volunteer often drawn from retired railway staff in the pre-pandemic days. This practise too seems to have been discontinued due to the travel restrictions imposed due to Covid.
T Sadagopan, a consumer activist and commuter, said the machines are almost forgotten. “People do not use them on our route because many prefer to buy tickets from counters. This is also a reason why they fall into disuse.” He also said that “maintenance is key. The machines get jammed as people don’t know how to use them.”
The zone got Rs 5crore allocation in the budget for repair or replacement of the ticket vending machines this year. Similar allocation was also done last year, but no change was seen on the ground.
A railway official said steps were being taken to replace many of the machines as around 90% of the pre-Covid commuter traffic has resumed. “We have repaired a few machines in major stations like Central and Egmore where the number of tickets purchased is high. Around 50 machines have come and are being installed soon.”
Retired staff will also be roped in to sell tickets from these machines, said an official. The smart card based ticket vending machines were not popular among people even at stations that catered to commuters who are tech savvy.
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