Kochi: The dedicated mobile application launched by the railways for passengers to avail unreserved paperless ticket facility has started finding acceptance though the beneficiaries want more services under the facility besides fixing of certain “technical glitches”. “Daily an average 300 persons are downloading the “UTS on Mobile” app though on some days, upto 1,000 new commuters switched over to the new ticketing facility.
In Southern railways, 20 lakh unreserved tickets are being doled out daily and the paperless ticket bought using the app now constitutes 2.5 per cent,” said a senior divisional officer. He added that the Southern Railways will extend a five per cent bonus to those commuters who use the R Wallet to book tickets using the mobile app. The mobile application was launched on April 14.
Meanwhile, the season ticket holders, a major section downloading “UTS on Mobile” facility have requested the divisional authorities to permit them take tickets other than season tickets using the app. “At present the application is not permitting to book a normal ticket if a valid season ticket is existing in the mobile. So, if a season ticket holder wants to take his family for a trip, he has to stand in queue and purchase ticket from the booking counter since he is denied UTS on Mobile facility,’ said P Krishnakumar, member of the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee.
Another demand is to extend the ‘Book and activate at originating station’ option to all stations. Currently only Chennai Central is available as originating station. The facility will help passengers book ticket early and validate later near the departing station. Meanwhile, there are complaints transaction error is occurring frequently when commuters attempt to deposit money in R-Wallet or booking ticket through Net banking or Credit/Debit card.
“Normally the refund is getting delayed and not being effected within seven days, as stipulated. Many users pointed out the glitch during the recent awareness campaign held at Thrissur to sensitise passengers about the UTS on Mobile facility,” the General Secretary of the Thrissur Railway Passengers Association said.
