Mumbai: Cell phones are the new window for season tickets from Oct

No more waiting in long queues to renew your season tickets. Commuters using the western and central lines in Mumbai can buy or renew season tickets through smart phones from October.

No more waiting in long queues to renew your season tickets. Commuters using the western and central lines in Mumbai can buy or renew season tickets through smart phones from October.

The system is ready, sources said, and the railways is likely to launch it during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai on October 4, when he will also launch two new Metro lines for the city.

The facility will hugely help more than 70% of the 75 lakh daily passengers on the CR and WR, who buy season tickets.

Railway authorities said if the PM is unable to inaugurate the facility owing to his schedule, railway minister Suresh Prabhu will launch it before October 10.

“We have been asked to be ready with the system. The facility is likely to be introduced on Central Railway (CR) by October 10,” said Uday Bobhate, general manager, Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).

Monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and yearly tickets will be available through the mobile system.

Once you are registered on the application, which can be downloaded on Android and Windows smart phones, you can buy and renew tickets through the ‘R’ wallet (see box for details).

The app then generates a ticket in the PDF form.

Season tickets bought on mobile will only be applicable from the day after it is booked. This means commuters using mobile ticketing cannot buy or renew tickets on the day it expires.

While travelling, the commuter’s phone must be on. “Passengers should ensure the mobile phone has enough charge. Otherwise, they will be charged for travelling without a ticket” a CR official said, requesting anonymity.

CRIS is also training ticket checkers on both lines to check mobile tickets using the app.