Title - Railways to induct more vans to offer reservations at doorstep

New Delhi :   Aimed at taking railway reservation services closer to the doors of residents, the Northern Railway will induct more mobile reservation vans soon. The decision came after the railways got a positive response from residents about the mobile ticketing van operated under the Mushkil Asaan scheme.A mobile ticketing van is stationed in different areas across Delhi from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm on weekdays, offering reserved and unreserved tickets to residents. With this facility, residents have no need to travel long distance to reservation counters or stand in queues at ticketing offices.“The scheme is becoming popular. We have decided to induct more mobile vans. It will help in offering services in more locations, and the vans will be stationed at prominent marketplaces,” a senior Northern Railway official said.In the first four months of the current financial year, the ‘Mushkil Aasaan’ mobile ticketing van has issued 7,323 tickets worth over Rs 47 lakh and also made a refund of over Rs 9 lakh to passengers, officials said.According to data provided by railway officials, the van sold 7,323 tickets to 11,842 passengers worth Rs 47.37 lakh from April to July this year — 104 working days. During the same period, the van also made a refund of around Rs 9.22 lakh and made net cash earnings of around Rs 38.14 lakh. 

“On an average, 114 passengers got their tickets booked. The average net cash earning stood at Rs 36,667 per day,” an official said. Railway officials decide the location for parking the mobile van, keeping in mind the demands of the public.

The scheme was launched in January 2010 after an announcement was made by former railway minister Mamata Banerjee while presenting the Railway Budget for 2009-10.