In the Corona period, the Railways have made many achievements, turning challenges into opportunities. Now it plans to offer QR code enabled contactless ticketing like airports which can be scanned from mobile phones at stations and trains. Like the airport, a pilot project for all passengers to check the contactless ticket as soon as they enter the station has been started at Prayagraj Junction station of North Central Railway.
Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said on Thursday that currently 85 per cent of the train tickets are booked online and QR codes will be arranged for those buying tickets from counters. Yadav said, 'We have introduced a QR code system which will be given on tickets. Those purchasing online will be given a code on the ticket. Even on the window ticket, when someone is given a paper ticket, a message will be sent on his mobile which will have a link to the QR code. The code will appear when you open the link. '
He said that after this, the TTE will have a phone or equipment at the station or train from which the QR code of the passenger's ticket will be scanned. Thus the process of checking tickets will be completely contactless. Yadav also said that the Railways do not plan to be completely paperless yet, but by starting online booking of reserved, unreserved and platform tickets, the use of paper will be reduced to a great extent. He said that the online recharge facility of Kolkata Metro has been started.
Yadav said that the IRCTC website would be completely renovated and the process would be simplified, facilitated and combined with the booking of hotels and meals. Railways have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Space Research Institute (ISRO), under which trains can be monitored by satellite. This will provide real-time data about the location and speed of trains. In the first phase, GPS devices have been fitted on 2700 electric locomotives and 3800 diesel locomotives. In the second phase, by December 2021, 6000 more locomotives will be added to it.