Railway Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Launches SMS Based Ticketing System
This New System will Improve Customer Convenience and Empower the Common Man: Kharge
The Minister of Railways Shri Mallikarjun Kharge launched SMS based ticketing system at a function here today. While addressing a gathering on the occasion, Shri Kharge said that this user-friendly service which will be effective from today i.e 28th June 2013, is being introduced in order to further improve the customer convenience and empower the common man who does not have access to internet and cannot afford to buy smart phones. He said that since the mobile penetration in India has increased rapidly and more than 80 per cent people have mobile phones, this new system will be helpful in enabling booking of tickets by masses themselves. Ticket booking through non-internet based mobile, introduced as a pilot project by Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, will also help Railways in overcoming the menace of touting whereby unsuspecting people are fleeced by such elements. This will particularly be useful for labourers and workers staying away from their home and who have to book tickets for travel to their native place, the Minister added.
The Railway Minister further said that inconvenience in booking reserved railway tickets has been a cause of concern for all. In order to facilitate easy access, Indian Railways have been making efforts by expanding the passenger reservation system counters network. The online booking through IRCTC has now grown up to about 45% of total reserved tickets. This has eased the rush at counters to a great extent. While internet access in India is only about 10%, mobiles are now in easy reach and more than 80% people in our country use mobile phones, the Minister said.
