Mangaluru: You are in a hurry, and want to purchase a train ticket-but unfortunately there is long queue at the railway station with passengers trying to buy tickets. Don’t worry, relief is here- now you can buy tickets using Ticket Vending Machine (without staying in the queue)-this machine issues tickets for unreserved class journey, platform and season travel.
Few days ago, Southern Railway had installed one Cash-Coin, and Smart Card operated (Versatile) Ticket Vending Machine (CoTVM) at Mangaluru Central Railway Station to dispense unreserved tickets and the machine has been functioning smoothly with passengers making use of the system for their convenience and with no hassles. This initiative by the Railway authorities was aimed at speeding up issuing of unreserved tickets at the station.
According to a railway official at Mangalore Central, the CoTVM is capable of issuing tickets accepting Indian coins, Indian currency notes and smart cards. The CoTVM was installed recently, in addition to the already functioning two smart card-based automatic ticket vending machines at the Station. The official further said, “These machines are very convenient and help passengers to buy tickets without much hassle. But passengers should make sure they have the exact amount for the ticket when using TVM or possess a smart card to buy tickets. These machines also issue platform tickets and season tickets. Many passengers are aware of the facility. Two machines which were commissioned earlier had an attendant on duty to help people purchase tickets through a smart card”.
About Smart Cards :
Smart cards with face value of Rs. 100, of which Rs. 50 is the refundable security deposit and the balance for travel usage, would be available at designated counters of the station. One can also top up this card up to a value of Rs. 5,000; but one has to use up the balance within six months from the date of the last top-up. The user would get 5 per cent additional usage value during the top-up, if one recharges Rs. 5,000, one would get Rs. 5,250 usage value to buy tickets. One can get refund of the security deposit as well as the balance amount on surrendering the smart card. A clerk-age charge of Rs. 10 would be deducted in such cases.