NEW DELHI: The Railways has decided to install 6,000 automated ticket vending machines in major cities over the next two years that would be connected with UTS terminals making tickets available at the press of a button by using smart cards or currency notes.

The coupon ticketing system would be introduced in Chennai and Kolkata for the facility of the train passengers. The system has already been a big hit with the people travelling in the Mumbai suburban system. The Railways has also drawn up a scheme for putting in place 8,000 computerised Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters across the country over the next two years.

In order to make the scheme of Monthly Season Ticket (MST) renewal through the Internet popular, it has been decided to provide this service free of cost. In the next year, Central Railway will undertake a pilot project of issuing tickets through multi-purpose smart cards. Under this scheme, customers will have the facility to obtain MST as well as daily ticket on the same smart card. This card could be bought and recharged from different places in the city. These cards would be readable on touch, by the hand held terminal of Travelling Ticket Examiners (TTEs). The scheme would be expanded after the success of the pilot project.

In addition to this, to expand the outreach of reserved railway ticketing in all parts of the country, e-tickets will be issued through e-seva of State Governments, post offices, petrol pumps and ATMs of banks. In an attempt to upgrade the catering and hospitality sector, the Railways has invited six reputed caterers including fast food chains to participate in bidding process for setting up food plazas and fast food units or food kiosks at stations. Eighteen companies in manufacturing business of food and beverages have been empanelled for participation in the bidding process of automatic vending machines. It has also been decided to redesign and modernise pantry cars by installation of modern gadgets and equipment.

In another passenger friendly measure, the Railways has also finalised designed coaches with new layouts having significantly higher capacity than previous coaches. The capacity of sleeper coaches has been increased from 72 to 84, AC chair car from 67 to 102, AC 3 tier from 64 to 81, AC 2 tier from 46 to 48 and AC first class from 18 to 22. The production of these newly designed coaches will begin from this year along with their induction.

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