"We are working on providing tickets to passengers through ATMs and the trials will start in another couple of weeks," B B Modgil, chief mechanical engineer of South Western Railways said in Bangalore.
However, officials said there are still some irritants as the aim is to have a "single gateway" for the passengers though they might be possessing ATMs of different banks.
"Talks are on with several banks in this regard," they said adding the service will mostly help the daily commuters.
"Also if a passenger wants to cancel a ticket procured in this manner, he should be easily able to do it," Anwar Hussain, divisional commissioner, Bangalore, said. The ticket menu will allow passengers to buy tickets for 15 days, a season ticket or any other according to his need.
South Western Railways had started single number dial passenger information service in Bangalore in November last year and it has proved to be successful, Modgil said.
The integrated call centre receives almost 25,000 queries daily. Passengers will also, in future, get information on the actual running time of the trains on their mobile phones, Hussain said.
Plans for easy availability of platform tickets are also on the anvil. "Nearly 9,000 people buy platform tickets at Bangalore station alone. We have consistently been favouring hiking ticket prices so as to decongest the platforms and take better care of passengers," Hussain said.
"We have a problem with thee ticket wending system and the long queues outside the windows are a big deterrent for the people," he said.
"Providing platform tickets through mobile phones, and setting up windows at STD booths and even parking areas are some of the proposals we are working on," the official said adding talks were on with several mobile service providers.
The unreserved ticketing system has been planned for 41 locations and will be completed by 2006.
