dna special: Mumbai monorail ticketing system to undergo upgrade

With the first couple of days being a learning experience for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials on operating rail systems, there are some improvements in store for the monorail ticketing system.

With the queues generally being never-ending, issuing tickets in a short span to the maximum number of people is something the authorities need to work on, something they have started on from Monday.

In the immediate future, provisions will be made to improve the ticket issuing system, with an aim of people getting a ticket within five minutes of standing in queue.

Another modification being planned in the ticket issuing system pertains to the issuance of return tickets. There is a possibility that in future passengers will even get return tickets, a facility which currently isn’t available.

“But issuing return tickets will take time as we will have to make changes in the ticketing software and, accordingly, tune the automated fare collection hardware. At the moment, it is too early to put a time frame for the upgrade,” said MMRDA commissioner UPS Madan.

Each ticket issuing room will have more counters, along with addition to the number of ticket vending machines.

Having a dedicated portal, a mobile phone application and a dedicated helpline number for the Mumbai Monorail is another thought that will be put in place much later as the current goal of the authorities is to get the entire operational system stabilised.

“Stabilising the system is our priority at the moment. There is no dearth of time for improvement and, hence, that we will do at a later stage,” added Madan.