RailEnquiry

VADODARA: Travellers can now expect a smoother visit to the passenger reservation centre at Vadodara railway station.In its efforts to improve amenities for travellers, the Vadodara railway division has given a complete facelift to passenger reservation system (PRS) centre at the railway station - the A1 category station of Vadodara railway division.The division has started biometric token system, touch screens, seating arrangements and electronic display boards along with a music system for the convenience of passengers, who now won't have to stand in long queue at PRS centre."There was a general perception that genuine passengers do not get proper facilities at PRS. So while we have launched various measures to IP based monitoring and constant drives to keep a check on the menace of touts, we have also installed a new biometric token system to ensure that passengers get a comfortable experience at the centre," divisional railway manager of Vadodara railway division Naveen Kumar Shukla told TOI.Through the new biometric system, passengers will have to first approach counter numbers 7 or 8 to obtain their token. The system will issue token to a passenger only after a gap of two hours. Instead of standing in long queue, passengers can wait for their turn for which new seating arrangements have been made. After the token number gets displayed on the counter of the booking windows, passengers can procure their tickets from respective windows.Also, PRS centre now also has four reservation form filling desks, standardized information boards, four passenger operated enquiry terminal touch screens, one electronic 30 day seat/berth availability display board while the information displayed on the windows has been standardized."While improving the interior ambience of the centre, which has now been aesthetically designed, with modifications we have also ensured that rain water is prevented from entering the centre," senior divisional commercial manager Pradeep Banerjee said.At the same time, in order to improve amenities for senior citizens and physically disabled, the division has constructed ramps on platform number 6 at the Alkapuri side of the railway station connecting platform numbers 2,3 and 6."The ramps constructed at the cost of Rs 97 lakh was one of the major demands from social groups, including charitable trusts, associations working for the physically disabled, senior citizens and passengers in general," Shukla said.