Latest news with #ATVM
New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Freight train fire disrupts Chennai services, leaves thousands stranded
CHENNAI: Thousands of rail passengers were inconvenienced on Sunday after train services were disrupted on the Chennai-Arakkonam section due to the fire incident. Many passengers, unaware of the sudden cancellations, were forced to return home after arriving at Chennai Central station between 5.30 am and 7 am, as the announcements came just 30 to 40 minutes before the scheduled departures. All suburban train services on the Chennai-Arakkonam section were suspended from 5.15 am in both directions. About 15 express trains bound for Chennai which departed on Saturday, including the Mangaluru Mail, Nilgiris Express, Mysuru Express, Coimbatore Intercity, Thiruvananthapuram Mail, and Jolarpettai Express, were short-terminated between Arakkonam and Gudiyatham. Additionally, 15 express trains bound to Tirupati, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, and Mysuru from Chennai were cancelled. A section of passengers scheduled to travel to Bengaluru on premium trains such as the Shatabdi and Vande Bharat had to book expensive omnibus services. S Lalithakumari, a resident of Alandur, said: 'I received a confirmation message for my Kovai Express ticket at 9.15 pm on Saturday. We, a group of four, reached Chennai Central by 5.45 am. Just as I was checking the train's status, I received another message saying the train was cancelled. It's now an uphill task to rebook tickets for all of us.' Rail passengers said they struggled to find alternative travel through omnibuses and other connecting trains. K Baskar, former DRUCC member of Chennai Division, said, 'A passenger who bought a paper ticket through an Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) at Walajah Road was refused a refund, even though rules allow for it during cancellations. Staff claimed there was no provision for refunding ATVM tickets.' He alleged emergency helpline numbers offered no support even after multiple calls. The transport department deployed 30 special buses to ferry stranded passengers from Tiruttani, Tiruvallur, and Arakkonam, which proved insufficient.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
ATVM operator held at Varanasi Cantt for selling overpriced train tickets
The Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested an Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) operator at Cantt Railway Station in Varanasi on Wednesday evening for allegedly selling overpriced general category travel tickets. According to GRP officials, the matter came to light after two passengers filed a complaint. According to GRP inspector Rajol Nagar, the accused has been identified as Brijesh Srivastava. The matter came to light when two passengers lodged a video complaint, alleging that ₹2200 had been charged for 6 general tickets to Mumbai, said a GRP officer. Following the complaint, the GRP launched an inquiry, during which officials from the commercial department questioned the accused and conducted a detailed investigation. The probe confirmed the involvement of the ATVM operator, the officer added. Following the investigation, chief booking supervisor JP Mishra filed a formal complaint at the GRP police station at Cantt. Based on his complaint, a case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Inspector Nagar stated that the investigation revealed the accused, Brijesh, had been selling overpriced tickets for the Mahanagari Express and other shuttle trains to passengers. It was also discovered during the probe that similar overpriced tickets had been detected earlier at Jabalpur and Chheoki stations. The investigation of CCTV footage revealed that the accused, Brijesh, used to sell overpriced tickets to passengers near ATVM number 11, located in the New Building on the station premises, said the GRP inspector. He said that further investigation is underway. At present, a total of 16 automatic ticket vending machines are working at Cantt station. After the incident came to light, the railway administration started intensive monitoring of the activity and operation of all the ATVM machines.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
25% surge in unreserved ticket sales in June: Rlys
1 2 3 4 5 6 Patna: An intensive ticket-checking drive conducted across the Danapur division of the East Central Railway (ECR) in June has begun to show results, leading to a 25% surge in ticket sales through the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) in the month. According to Danapur divisional railway manager (DRM) Jayant Kumar Choudhary, the intensified ticket-checking drive conducted during June led to the penalisation of 51,644 passengers who were found travelling without valid tickets. The crackdown resulted in the collection of fines amounting to Rs 3.50 lakh, he said. "The objective behind the drive was not just to penalise offenders, but to instil a sense of responsibility among daily commuters and casual passengers. This has evidently led to an increase in the number of passengers purchasing proper tickets before boarding either long-distance or short-distance passenger trains in the division," the DRM said. Danapur senior divisional commercial manager (Senior DCM), Abhinav Siddarth, said on Monday the railways has already introduced the UTS mobile app and automatic ticket vending machines (ATVM) across major stations of the division to reduce congestion at general ticket booking counters. These digital facilities allow passengers to conveniently purchase unreserved tickets without standing in long queues, he said. Similar inspection drives will continue in the future, he said.
Hans India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Individuals invited to serve as ATVM facilitators
Vijayawada: Vijayawada Division of the South Central Railway continues to enhance passenger convenience and promote digital initiatives with the successful operation of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) across its network. These user-friendly machines have significantly streamlined unreserved ticketing, enabling faster, contactless, and hassle-free travel for lakhs of daily commuters. The Vijayawada Division has emerged as a frontrunner in ATVM utilisation. Presently, 72 ATVMs are operational across 29 major railway stations, supported by 94 facilitators to assist passengers. As a result of continued awareness campaigns and improved accessibility, 33 percent (78,19,581) of the total (2,41,51,165) unreserved tickets in the Division are now booked through ATVMs, said the SCR Railway, Vijayawada in a press release on Wednesday. The passengers get many benefits with ATVMs. It reduces queues and saves time of passengers and is very convenient also. The machines support multilingual interfaces and offer quick access to general, platform, and renewal tickets. Trained facilitators are available at key stations to assist the elderly, first-time users, and differently-abled passengers. Rambabu Vavilapalli, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Vijayawada Division, SCR appeals to the public to join the mission by becoming facilitators: 'We are inviting applications from enthusiastic individuals to serve as ATVM facilitators at 29 key railway stations in the Division. This is a unique opportunity to be part of the digital transformation of Indian Railways while contributing meaningfully to public service.' Interested applicants can find complete details, including eligibility criteria, terms of engagement, and the application process at the following link: Narendra A Patil, IRTS, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada Division, SCR congratulated passengers and staff alike on this achievement, stating: 'The rise in ATVM ticketing is a clear sign of passengers embracing technology for a smoother travel experience.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ATVMs installed in Hubballi division to reduce rush at ticket counters
Hubballi: In a move aimed at reducing crowds at ticket counters, South Western Railway (SWR), Hubballi division, installed 25 automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) across various stations in its jurisdiction. Hubballi station has eight machines, followed by Belagavi and Ballari with three each, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Gadag, and Hosapete with two each, and Dharwad, Koppal, and Ghataprabha stations have one each. Most passengers rely heavily on unreserved tickets. These machines are useful for daily commuters such as workers and students, enabling them to quickly and conveniently obtain tickets without having to wait in long queues. ATVMs facilitate issuance of multiple ticket types, including monthly (season) passes, platform tickets, and unreserved journey tickets. One of the key features is the use of rechargeable smart cards, which can be used as needed for different travel purposes. Passengers can also scan a QR code to purchase tickets. A total of 31 ATVM facilitators are appointed across various stations to assist passengers in using the machines. They either disburse the tickets through the facilitator smart card or guide the passengers to buy tickets. These facilitators are retired railway employees selected through the screening of applications by the committee of officers. To encourage the use of ATVMs, passengers purchasing unreserved tickets through these machines are offered discounts credited to their smart cards—3% for journeys up to 150 km, 2% for distances between 150 and 500 km, and 1% for trips exceeding 500 km. These discounts are also extended to ATVM facilitators (operators). With advanced technical support, the department aims to significantly increase the number of tickets issued through ATVMs. This not only enhances passenger convenience but also reduces the workload on conventional ticket counters.
