Bangalore: The South Western Railway (SWR) on Friday launched a novel scheme to sell platform tickets through mobile phones using the short messaging service (SMS) facility.
Claimed to be the first of its kind service in Indian Railways, the electronic system enables subscribers of BSNL and Airtel to buy a platform ticket by keying in "PFT" and code 3939 (for BSNL) and 64629 (for Airtel) even before reaching the Bangalore city station and collect it from a vending machine at the entrance.
"The system will send a five digit pin to the subscribers opting for this hassle-free service. By entering the pin in the SMS-linked vending machine, they can obtain the platform ticket without monetary transaction, as an amount of Rs.4, including Re.1 towards service charge, will be collected from the mobile operators," SWR general manager TN said.
Introduced on a pilot basis by RailTel & Telinovation, the zonal railway plans to extend the e-facility at two other stations in the city — Cantonment and Yeshvanthpur — where passenger trains originate or operate en route.
For those driving into the station terminal in four-wheelers, the zonal railway has installed a computerised car parking-cum-platform ticket-issuing machine at the main city station.
Manufactured by Hectronic, a retail and parking automation firm in Germany, the hi-tech machine offers pre-paid and post-paid facility.
On an average, about 500-600 cars drive into the parking terminal at the main railway station daily.
The Bangalore division of the SWR has also installed a platform ticket-cum-weighing machine at the city railway station.
Designed and developed by Eastern Scales Ltd, the integrated machine enables visitors to know their weight, which comes printed on the platform ticket for Rs.5, including Rs.2 for weighing.
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