Chandigarh railway station to get 3 more ticket counters

CHANDIGARH: Now buying platform ticket at Chandigarh railway station will be hassle free for commuters as a new kiosk is coming up at the station that will be managed by by Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC).
From Monday, commuters will not have to stand in a long queue to get platform ticket as two new counters will be set up at Chandigarh side of the station and one at Panchkula side.
Balbeer Singh, director of IRSDC Chandigarh, said the corporation would set up three automatic ticket vending machines for platform ticket and they were hopeful that from next week onwards the service would be in place at station. “The ticket will cost Rs 10 and staff will be deployed to fine the defaulters. Only railway staff can move on the platforms without ticket” he added.
Senior railway official said there had been instances when commuters give the excuse of long queues at the counter for not buying platform ticket. “This initiative will ease out the system as the commuter does not have to visit the counter and ticket will be issued at the entry point of the station itself,” they added.
Any person found without ticket will be fined. An official of the commercial section said there was no policy with the railway according to which they can fine the commuter found without a platform ticket. Resultantly the commuter is fined according to the fare of train that arrives at station when he/she is found without ticket.
As per the records of the Ambala division, collection of ticket checking fine last year was Rs 29 lakh in a day that crossed the collection of New Delhi, which was Rs 24 lakh in a day. The fine is maximum during Chatt Puja as majority of the defaulters come to city railway station to board trains plying to Bihar and Uttar Pardesh, an official said.