Chennai Railway Division launches QR code-enabled payment system

Southern Railway introduces QR code payments to ease congestion at ticket counters, promoting digital payments for commuters.

On working days, one can see long queues of commuters waiting impatiently to buy tickets at the railway station counters, even as the suburban trains rush by at peak hours.

At important stations, such as the Moore Market Complex, Tambaram, Saidapet, Palavanthangal, Guindy, Mambalam, Beach, Egmore, Pattabhiram, Avadi, Tiruvallur, Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur, Southern Railway has opened several counters to issue tickets at rush hours. But delays occur because customers are unable to provide the exact fare or the railway workers manning the counters do not have the money in small denominations. This means arguments between the workers and the commuters.

To help decongest the counters, Southern Railway launched the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) application a few years ago, besides individualised QR codes and automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) at almost all stations.

As part of the drive to increase digital payments, the Chennai Division has come up with one more option: QR code-enabled payment at all counters.

A. Elumalai, Public Relations Officer of the Chennai Division, says the QR code-enabled payments aligns with the Central government’s Digital India campaign. It will help to avoid cash payments for buying suburban as well as long-distance train tickets.

The QR code payment, named the Tuesday-Digital Day campaign, was launched on October 22 at all stations in the Chennai Division. The division transports 15 lakh passengers on an average every day, and the digital payment method will help to further ease the congestion at the counters. To help the commuters make seamless payment, it has posted volunteers at all major stations to promote the system among senior citizens.

Railway officials have also planned to promote the use of UTS among the local and long-distance passengers by creating more awareness. The UTS application for booking suburban, seasonal, platform, and unreserved tickets has become a hit. Southern Railway offers a 3% bonus for every recharge. The application is available on the Android and iOS platforms.