BENGALURU: A major step towards digitalisation was taken in the Bengaluru Railway Division last fortnight when ticket-checking staff of three pairs of trains, running between Bengaluru and Chennai, and one pair to New Delhi began using the Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) for checks on board.
The terminals were deployed by staff on four major trains departing from the City -- Bengaluru-MGR Chennai Central Shatabdi Express, KSR Bengaluru-Dr MGR Chennai Central Lalbagh Express, Bengaluru-MGR Chennai Superfast Express and the Yesvantpur-Delhi Duronto Express. The HHTs were used in the return direction too of all the trains..
A top railway official said a proposal has been sent to the Division headquarters in Hubballi seeking consent to add eight more pairs of trains under the digital chart system. “The switchover to the environment-friendly move of electronic checking will benefit passengers as it ensures instant allotment of vacant berths as well as create transparency in berth allotment,” said a top official.
While the digital chart was launched on July 25 inside the Shatabdi, it was used by TTEs in the Superfast Express and Lalbagh Express from July 18 and in Duronto Express from July 16. At present, half of the staff in commercial department have been trained in using these terminals, another official said.
16 trains to arrive, depart from Sir MV Terminal from Aug 10
In a big move to decongest the Yesvantpur and Bengaluru Cantonment railway stations, the South Western Railway (SWR) has decided to shift eight pairs of trains to Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru (SMVB). Trains running between Bengaluru and Assam, Kolkata and Bihar are among them. The move will come into effect from August 10, an official release read
The following trains arriving and departing at Yesvantpur will be shifted
Daily train between Howrah and Yesvantpur (train no. 12863) from August 10 and its pair from August 12
Weekly train no. 22863 to terminate at SMVB from August 15 and train number 22864 will depart from the newly launched terminal from August 17
Five-day a week (except Monday and Thursday) train between the two stations. Train no. 12245 will terminate at SMVB from August 10 and train no. 12246 (five days a week except Wednesday and Sunday) will start from August 12
Pataliputra-Yesvantpur (train no. 22351) from August 12 and its return train from August 15
Kamakhya-Yesvantpur weekly express (train no. 12252) from August 10 and its pair (train no. 12251) from August 13
Yesvantpur- Bhagalpur weekly (train no. 12253) from August 13 and Bhagalpur-Yesvantpur weekly (12254) from August 17
Cantonment trains
Guwahati-Bengaluru Cantonment tri-weekly (train no. 12510) from August 14 and its return train from August 17
Agartala-Bengaluru Cantonment (train no 12503) from August 13 and Bengaluru Cantonment-Agartala (train no. 12504) from August 16
Pataliputra-Yesvantpur (train no. 22351) from August 12 and its return train from August 15