UTS app improved as number of digital ticket holders rise on Central and Western Lines

This number stood at 2.07 crore commuters who used the UTS app in October 2022 for travelling inside local trains. According to the railway officials, this is a massive jump in the number of commuters who are using digital tickets and season passes to travel in the suburban local trains

Mumbai: As more and more local commuters switch to the UTS app to book their digital tickets to travel in the suburban trains, the railway authorities improve the user interface of the application to make bookings convenient for passengers.

A crowded local passenger train approaches a platform in Mumbai on July 5, 2019. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) (AFP)

From extending the outer limit for booking tickets 5 km away from the station premises that used to be 2km, smoothening the method of payment among other steps that are or have already been taken by the railways. The reason is the surge in a total number of commuters who are using digital tickets via UTS app that stood at 3.50 crore on both Central and Western Railways in October this year.

This number stood at 2.07 crore commuters who used the UTS app in October 2022 for travelling inside local trains. According to the railway officials, this is a massive jump in the number of commuters who are using digital tickets and season passes to travel in the suburban local trains; owing to which the railways have worked out changes in the UTS app for ensuring ‘ease of use’.

In October, 11.67 lakh daily commuters were using the UTS app to book tickets and season passes on their mobile phones for travelling in local trains on CR and WR. There were 6.91 lakh daily commuters who were dependent on the UTS app in October 2022 for their commute. In fact in April 2022, there were 4.26 lakh daily commuters who used the UTS app.

In Mumbai, the CR authorities have seen a 70% jump while there has been a 67% rise on WR in the number of passengers using UTS to book and travel in suburban local trains during the period between October 2022 to October 2023. Meanwhile on the CR the number of commuters who used the UTS app stood at 74.39 lakh in April 2022 while on the WR 53.30 lakh last April.

The railway officials explained that they have made the payment process easier by making an option to pay directly through UPI mode without the need to toggle between the UTS app and payment app. This has curtailed a step and made the payment mode faster. By increasing the outer limit for booking through the UTS app to 5 kms; people are able to book tickets or renew passes sitting at home.

“We have also simplified the process of handset change wherein users can put in a request even when one is holding an active journey ticket and passes. When the proper process is followed then the UTS ticket or pass can be synced with the new handset in an hour. This used to be a major complaint on the Rail Madad app,” said a CR official.

Earlier this year, the railways have enabled booking of four passengers in a single ticket for First Class and AC local apart from introducing Marathi as language of choice apart from Hindi and English. All these are being incorporated looking at the rising popularity of UTS apps on both Central and Western Railways to book their local train tickets and season passes.