Patna: Railway passengers are set to get relief from the hassle of standing in long queues for unreserved tickets. The Railway Board has decided to introduce a new system involving M-UTS (Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System) assistants, who will move around station premises and provide unreserved tickets directly to passengers.
The facility is being introduced as a pilot project at selected NSG-1, NSG-2 and NSG-3 category stations. Ten major stations across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been included in the initiative. The Railway Board has decided to continue the pilot project until June 30, 2027, after which its performance will be reviewed before deciding on further expansion.
Long Queues at Ticket Counters Set to Reduce
Long queues at unreserved ticket counters are common at railway stations, particularly during festivals, holidays and other periods of heavy passenger movement. Passengers often have to rush to get tickets when their train’s departure time is approaching.
Under the new system, M-UTS assistants will approach passengers within the station premises and issue unreserved tickets. This will reduce the need for passengers to reach ticket counters and wait in queues.
The move is also expected to save passengers’ time and reduce pressure on ticket counters.
Digital Payment Facility
The new system will also support digital payments for ticket purchases. This is expected to reduce dependence on cash transactions and make the ticketing process faster and more convenient.
The presence of mobile ticketing assistants is expected to make ticket purchases easier for unreserved passengers while also helping railway authorities improve monitoring of ticketless travel.
System Was Used During Maha Kumbh
Mobile ticketing arrangements have already been used during major events. During the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, the Railways deployed mobile ticketing facilities to manage the huge crowds arriving at railway stations.
With large numbers of passengers reaching stations at the same time, ticket counters came under significant pressure. The experience of providing tickets directly to passengers helped demonstrate the usefulness of the system, prompting the Railways to introduce it as a pilot initiative at selected stations.
These 10 UP-Bihar Stations Will Get the Facility
The pilot project covers 10 stations under three railway divisions:
Varanasi Division
- Banaras (BNRS)
- Chhapra (CPR)
- Mau (MAU)
- Siwan (SV)
- Ballia (BUI)
Lucknow Division
- Gorakhpur (GKP)
- Lucknow (LJN)
- Gonda (GD)
- Basti (BST)
Izzatnagar Division
- Farrukhabad (SBD)
At these stations, M-UTS assistants will move around the station premises and provide unreserved tickets directly to passengers. Based on the results of the pilot project, the facility could eventually be extended to more railway stations.
