The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Railway passengers run into `closed' encounters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 13, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Railway passengers run into `closed' encounters

Staff Reporter

Failure of SCR to run more ticket counters faces commuters' rap

HYDERABAD: The failure of the South Central Railway authorities in operating more number of ticket counters at Secunderabad reservation complex led to chaos and disappointment for several passengers even as railway stations in the city teemed with festive crowd on Friday.

Out of 36 counters in the reservation complex, including enquiry and requisition form counters, a little more than half were functional while others had`closed' signboards.

As Sujoy Chatopadhay, an employee of MCEME in Secunderabad, said: "I came to the complex on Thursday evening and owing to the huge rush at the counters, I couldn't buy a ticket. I came here on Friday hoping that it will turn better but the situation remained the same." "Forget about confirmation of berths, getting a ticket itself is a Herculean task. This is crunch time and the authorities should operate more counters but on the contrary, they have closed nearly 15-20 counters," said J. Surendra, an employee of Suguna Poultry Farms Private Limited.

Counter timings

Ticket counters are operated from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and between 2.15 p.m. and 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday but most of the commuters, especially employees from private and public sectors, allege that the authorities close the counters for more than the stipulated time.

Some suggest that more number of PNR status machines be operated during festive seasons for the convenience of commuters.

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