Biometric ticket system to regulate passenger rush in Pushpak Express

The NER has forwarded a proposal to the Railway Board for introducing biometric system to facilitate passengers boarding the general compartment

LUCKNOW: Packed coaches and long queues of passengers waiting to board the general compartment of the Pushpak Express -- the most preferred Mumbai-bound train -- may soon be a thing of the past. The North Eastern Railway (NER) has forwarded a proposal to the Railway Board for introducing a biometric token/ ticket system, which will help ease the rush and facilitate passengers as they board the train.

If the proposal is accepted, Lucknow Junction will be among the first stations of the state to get the system. At present, a similar system is operational in Pune.

Railways officials said, if the biometric system comes into place it will bring much relief to passengers who often spend 12-15 hours in queues. “Pushpak is one of the most preferred trains. That’s the reason the rush in its general compartments is beyond imaginable. This system is expected to bring a lot of relief to the passengers,” said an official.

The tokens will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis and the machine will be programmed to issue limited tickets. “This will regulate the number of people who board the compartment,” said a railway official, adding that the system will also reduce the tout menace at railway stations.

Vijaylakshmi Kaushik, divisional

railway manager (DRM) NER Lucknow, confirmed that the proposal for installing the biometric system had been forwarded to the headquarters for approval.

SYSTEM WORKS VIA FINGER SCANNING

According to the proposal, the railways will install a token/ ticket vending machine at the station. Tokens will be given to passengers after they get their

fingers scanned through the machine’s inbuilt biometric system and pay the ticket price.

After collecting the token / ticket and showing the same to the railway protection force (RPF) personnel at the main entry, passengers will board the train. “While entering, passengers will again be asked to scan their finger. This will ensure that the same passenger is boarding,” said a railway official.