Patna: Danapur division of East Central Railway (ECR) is expanding passenger facilities ahead of the festive rush, with plans to install 90 more automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) and strengthen drinking water safety at railway stations.Danapur senior divisional commercial manager Abhinav Siddarth said the additional ATVMs would help passengers procure unreserved tickets through the unreserved ticketing system (UTS) and avoid queues at booking counters. At present, 54 ATVMs are operational at major stations, including Patna Junction, and account for nearly 12% of UTS tickets booked in the division every month, he said.Five machines each are planned at Patna Junction, Danapur and Patliputra Junction, while installations are being undertaken at several other stations, including Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Patna Sahib, Ara, Buxar, Bakhtiyarpur, Barh, Fatuha, Jehanabad, Kiul, Lakhisarai, Mokama, Rajgir, Biharsharif and Nawada. The machines can also issue platform tickets.ECR chief public relations officer Saraswati Chandra said Danapur division had also installed chlorination plants at Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal and Danapur to ensure disinfection of drinking water supplied to passengers and staff. A proposal has been prepared for similar plants at Kiul, Mokama, Bakhtiyarpur, Fatuha, Nawada, Jehanabad, Rajgir, Ara and Buxar.The division has also stepped up cleaning of its 3,644 water tanks, besides inspecting water-supply infrastructure, replacing damaged pipelines and using disinfectants to prevent contamination, Chandra said.The measures are part of a Railway Board-directed drive to improve ticketing and water safety facilities ahead of increased passenger movement during the festive season.
