Friday, March 9, 2018

Why can’t we make our train journeys safer and smarter with technology?


Are we using really technology to improve our life? If yes, why still we notice railway TC carrying a printed list and go for verification and the people in RAC and wait list wait for TC to allocate the berth.
Do we have options to improve current situations and bring transparency in the system? Why can’t we use existing technologies and provide a connected touch screen in coach and handle many of the activities of the train travel.
Like….
Reservation booking: While booking ticket, passenger should be able to view the coach layout with berth status and choose the available and preferred berth.
Profile check: Profile check can be done while booking (like Adhaar based)
Verification of passenger while boarding train: Passenger himself can complete the verification at available connected touch device in coach.
Swapping of berths: We notice many times, people with families or with sr. citizens requesting for swapping. By using this touch screen they can swap the berths.
Dynamic booking: Dynamic booking facility, can be provided to passengers. Passengers who don’t have a reservation, they can buy general ticket and board train. If they find any vacant seat online, during travel they can book the berth. The Railway can collect amount by credit cards.
Always correct data with the Railway: We notice often, when an accident happens, the railway struggle to get the exact number of passengers on the train. Many people board trains with general tickets, waiting list and also without tickets. Currently there is no way to have their status about boarding. If we have a device, we can control this type of problems.
Bribing TC/TC Demanding bribe for allocating berth: With transparency, bribes can be controlled.
Preference for berth allocations during travel: Many times we notice, TC violates the rules and allocate berth to general ticket people by taking bride. This can be controlled with dynamic booking.

2 comments:

  1. Some very good observations on how train travel can be improved with the use of technology. It is almost that Indian Railways is in some kind of a time-warp. Some infrastructure has not been changed since our independence. It is high time that Indian Railways adopts and modernizes itself for the decades to come.

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