Central Railway to add 132 more CVMs

After receiving several complaints about closed ticket windows at several stations, the Central Railway (CR) has decided to add 132 Coupon Validating Machines (CVM) and work on its Automated Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM).

After receiving several complaints about closed ticket windows at several stations, the Central Railway (CR) has decided to add 132 Coupon Validating Machines (CVM) and work on its Automated Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM).

HT Image

The CR also observed that increasing numbers of commuters are using the CVMs.

“In 2009-10, of the total number of railway tickets sold on the central line, 6% were coupons. Now, the figure has reached 12%. This shows CVMs are popular among commuters and hence we decided to add more machines,” said V Malegaonkar, chief public relations officer, CR.

Currently, the CR has 350 CVMs and there are several complaints by commuters that these machines lack maintenance.

Activists believe that adding more machines is a waste of money. “Most of their CVMs are not working and not properly maintained. They should concentrate on maintaining what they have rather than wasting money on more machines," said GR Vora, citizen activist.

The CR has 172 ATVM machines. The ticket sales in one day through ATVMs is about 60,000 individually and 25,000 through facilitators. However, the CR has been facing a shortage of ATVM cards.

“We will work on ATVM cards which are facing some technical glitches and soon more commuters will be off the ticket windows,” said Malegaonkar.