Date:07/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/07/stories/2006120718980300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Passengers suggest steps for improved token system

J Balaji

Time taken to book ticket remains the same

One passenger moots TV sets with bigger screen

There is no board about the new system in the reservation hall

AWAITING THEIR TURN: Passengers looking for their token number on the monitor in the reservation hall. — Photo: K. R. Deepak

VISAKHAPATNAM: The token system introduced by the Railways in the Visakhapatnam passenger reservation complex is widely welcomed by the passengers and, of course, with suggestions for improvement particularly on opening more counters and a separate counter for cancellation of tickets.

Though the difficulty of standing in the long queues has been eliminated in the new system, there is no improvement in the time taken to book the tickets which ranged from one to one and a half hours, they say.

While a retired government employee S. Krishnaiah, who was eagerly waiting for 30 minutes for the display of his token number and the counter number on the small TV screen kept in one corner of hall, suggests that TVs with bigger screens be kept on both sides of the reservation hall.

G. Srinivasa Reddi, employee of a private firm, feels announcement in English about the token number and its respective counter number, could be more useful to passengers, particularly senior citizens and ladies. Another common compliant is that there is no announcement or display board about the operation of token system in the reservation hall. The first-time visitors would have problem, they say. Some passengers feel that there should be separate parking arrangements for those who come to the reservation complex as they could not pay the parking fee twice, once for getting the reservation token and another for booking the ticket.

`No exceptions'

Chief reservation supervisor V. Shekhar says all, including railway staff, have to get token numbers for booking ticket. In fact senior divisional commercial manager K.C. Pradhan, who booked the ticket on Monday for making an official trip to New Delhi, obtained a token and made his peon wait and book the ticket, he claimed.

Mr. Shekhar says there are least chances of misuse of tokens as once the token number is entered in the reservation slip barring change of train name, number and date of journey no other correction is allowed in the slip.