Rly ticket transactions made easier

Nashik: Railway passengers across eleven major stations in Bhusawal division can now cancel or book their tickets at any time of the day.
They can avail the reservation cancellation facility or the current reservation facility on a train even after the chart has been prepared.
"The facility was earlier available at Nashik and Bhusawal train stations and it has now been extended to eleven other stations in the division," Shashikant Dahat, divisional commercial manager of Bhusawal, said.
The facility enables passengers to cancel their train tickets at any time of the day. "If the passenger reservation system (PRS) closes for the day at 8pm, passengers wanting to cancel their train tickets had to wait till 8am next day for the refund. Railways has therefore decided to set up special counters at eleven stations in Bhusawal division, where the passengers cancelling tickets can get their refund between 8pm and 8am or when the regular PRS is closed for business," the officer said.
The system has begun at Devlai, Manmad, Chalisgaon, Jalgaon, Malkapur, Shegaon, Akola, Badnera, Amravati, Khandwa and Burhanpur stations.
"There was a demand for such facility at junctions where people generally halt for long hours and come to know that there are other trains either running empty or reaching earlier than bound for their destination. Through this facility, a passenger can opt for reservation in any other train running at that time and if it has vacant seats after charts are prepared. This way, the person benefits by reaching destination earlier," Rahul Sonawane, an avid traveller from Nashik, said.
Railway officials said that since Nashik and Bhusawal stations already have the facility for passengers, it has proven beneficial.
"The facilities are helping passengers to cancel their tickets as well as make reservations. There are a numbers of passengers who book tickets online, and upon coming to the station, enquire about other trains. If they find a better option of a train to travel in, they simply switch over. They book the ticket, confirm the seat and the cancel their online ticket to travel to their destination in the train and class that they they want," the officer said.
He added that the department expects an immense reponse from junctions where there are usually big crowds at night.