NEW DELHI: In a first, Indian Railways has introduced a new biometric sign-on and sign-off system for its ticket checking staff, marking a significant step towards modernising railway operations and enhancing accountability.
The first digital TTE lobby of Indian Railways also became operational at Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction under the East Central Railway on August 29 this year. According to the Railways, this innovative system has already been successfully implemented in the Banaras Division of Northern Railway, Sonpur Division in East Central Railway, Ratlam Division in Western Railway, and TTE lobbies at CSMT, Pune and Solapur in Central Railway.
It is also operational in Malda Division in Eastern Railway, Mysore Division in South Western Railway, Bhopal in West Central Railway, and Madurai, Palghat, Trichy in Southern Railway, along with the Kota Lobby in West Central Railway.
Additionally, it is being phased in across various divisions of the North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and North Western Railway zones. The Jammu Division of Northern Railway is set to roll out the system shortly.
ED I&P, Railways Ministry, Dileep Kumar said, "The new system integrates biometric authentication with the Ticket Examiner (TTE) Lobby system, allowing staff to authenticate themselves using an Aadhaar-enabled biometric device. This ensures a tamper-proof, transparent, and privacy-compliant attendance process that accurately records working hours and duty status in real time."
He outlined the objectives of the biometric system, stating that authentic attendance will ensure that attendance records are accurate and verifiable. He said that the system will also provide real-time data on staff availability and duty status, allowing for more efficient management. He further mentioned that the system also offers effective monitoring of working hours and lobby operations.
He added that the system integrates with Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) and duty rosters for streamlined staff deployment.
Detailing the initiative, Kumar said that the implementation of this system is a testament to Indian Railways’ commitment to improving efficiency and transparency. "The biometric sign-on/off system will not only streamline staff deployment but also significantly enhance the overall efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the ticket checking staff, ultimately improving the experience for all passengers," he said.