Restrictions on issuing online train tickets to daily commuters and delay in commencing ordinary and Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train services in the State despite the unlock measures is affecting patronage and causing huge revenue loss to Railways.
Commuting in short distance in the railway network has also turned costly for daily commuters like office-goers and students as only fully reserved special trains and festival specials are now plying in the State.
Daily commuters are put to undue hardship and overcrowding is seen in front of the counters at railway stations to take tickets as only six tickets are being issued monthly through the official website managed by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). For an Aadhaar-verified commuter, the maximum tickets that can be issued monthly is 12.
Even if a person is travelling for a shorter distance, the full address has to be entered into the system in view of the pandemic. This consumes time and office-goers and students will have to reach one hour before boarding to get their tickets.
Travelling has become dearer for those booking tickets online and choosing Special trains for travelling. As normal trains are yet to commence operating, the daily commuters are the worst-hit. Compared to the ₹145 for a Sleeper ticket on a normal train, those travelling on Special trains will have to shell out ₹385.
For a sitting ticket on Mail and Express trains in the 64-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam corridor booked online, one has to pay ₹55 as fare and ₹17.70 as convenience charge to the IRCTC. Same is the fare and convenience charge for travelling on the 90-km Kozhikode-Kannur stretch. If one decides to travel by Super Express, the fare will go up by another ₹15.
CM asked to intervene
P. Krishnakumar, general secretary, Thrissur Railway Passengers Association, has said that the State should take the initiative to commence ordinary and MEMU trains that did not need advance reservation. “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should intervene and ask the Chief Secretary to give the nod to Railways to put an end to the hardship of daily commuters,” he said.
Railway sources said the restrictions on booking tickets online for Aadhaar-verified commuters should be lifted soon to ease the hardships faced by the commuters as the normal trains are unlikely for another few months.
“With the existing norms, only six pairs of tickets can be taken online. Office-goers need at least 25 pairs of tickets for a month. Lifting the restrictions will increase patronage and revenue from the trains,” sources said.
