CHENNAI: Soon, passengers need not worry about providing their identity proof while booking tatkal train tickets, be it in the online or offline mode.
Instead, they can carry any one of the 10 prescribed proofs of identity, which include the passbook with photograph of a nationalised bank or a bank credit card with photograph, during the travel, a Railway Board circular dated July 14, says.
The new rule would bring a huge relief to a large number of passengers who are desperate to buy tickets a day ahead of travel. Currently, those making their way to the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at 10 am to procure paper tatkal tickets have to submit photocopies of their identity card. Those who are booking the tickets online need to key in the ID card details. All these details will be printed on the reservation chart pasted on the train coach. In addition, the passengers need to furnish the same ID card to the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE). In case a different ID is shown, the TTE can slap fine on them for travelling without a valid ticket.
“There have been many instances when I’ve entered my driving licence details while booking the e-ticket, but during the journey I was carrying my PAN card and I was fined by the TTE. When I argued that the traveller’s details were same and only the ID card was different, he didn’t relent,” said S Karthik, a 27-year-old IT professional from Bangalore, who travels to Chennai regularly.
Others were relieved that their PAN card and passport details would not be printed on the reservation charts pasted on coaches. “In the time of internet and telephone frauds, it’s not safe for such details to be publicly available on the railway coaches where anyone can access them,” says 40-year-old home-maker G Pavithra.
The Railway Board circular has directed the Indian Railways IT wing, Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), to make the requisite changes in the software by September 1, after which the new rule is likely to come into effect.