CHENNAI: Southern Railway, unlike metro rail, is finding it difficult to use new technology and popularise existing systems to help commuters buy tickets without a hassle at suburban stations.
Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) where smart cards can be used and UTS app are available, but the first facility, introduced more than 10 years ago, is still not popular. Retired staff had to be hired to issue tickets from the ATVMs. Digital payment options like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) need a national-level policy change.
There has been an increase in the number of people coming to counters and this is expected to increase from Tuesday. Long queues are already being seen at Egmore, Mambalam, Guindy, St Thomas Mount and Tambaram stations on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram route during peak hours.
A railway official said suburban commuters are not comfortable with machines.
“It is also not popular in MRTS used by many IT employees. We marketed it aggressively but it did not take off,” he added.
R Pandiaraja, a commuter, said he had an UTS app but found it easier to go to a counter if it was not too crowded.
“Any digital innovation should work because commuters are often in a hurry,” he said.
Southern Railway chief public relations officer B Guganesan said ATVMs and UTS apps are being popularised. “Old machines have been replaced. Season tickets may be a reason why these options are not picking up. Most suburban commuters use season tickets and they need to go to the counter only for renewal.”
Pamphlets are distributed, posters are displayed and inspectors are nominated to promote ATVM cards, he added.
