Mumbai Railway Stations: QR Code Payments Ease Transactions, But Long Queues Persist Due to Inactive Ticket Machines

QR code payments at ticket offices across Mumbai’s railway stations has successfully addressed the issue of spare change for passengers. However, the persistent problem of long queues remains, primarily due to a significant number of ticket machines being either closed or insufficient to meet demand.

At key stations such as Dadar, Kurla, and Ghatkopar, several ticket machines intended to reduce queuing are either closed or too few in number to serve the growing passenger base. While some machines are operational, their numbers—usually just two or three fall short of what is needed, particularly during peak travel times.

Growing Number of Tech-Savvy Travelers

1. Increasing Ridership: Both Central and Western Railways have seen a rise in the number of passengers, with many of them being tech-savvy.
2. Preference for Apps: Younger, employed commuters are increasingly using mobile apps for ticketing, resulting in a surge in digital transactions.
3. Emphasis on Convenience: The focus on contactless ticketing, cashless transactions, and customer convenience is leading more passengers to opt for digital solutions.
4. UTS App Bonus: Passengers using the 'UTS' mobile app enjoy an additional benefit—a 3% bonus on 'R-Wallet' recharges.

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Station-Specific Conditions

1. Andheri Railway Station: In the eastern section of Andheri station, queues at ticket machines are almost as long as those at ticket windows. However, passengers find that tickets are issued faster at the machines compared to the windows.

2. Dadar Railway Station: At Dadar station, two machines are installed at the western end on the bridge. However, the area is often crowded because of flower market, leading to chaotic and lengthy lines for tickets.

3. Other Major Stations: Stations like Bandra, Mumbai Central, Andheri, Kurla, Ghatkopar, and Mulund experience heavy footfall, especially during peak hours. The number of ticket machines at these stations is insufficient to handle the volume of passengers.

Kurla station continues to struggle with long queues despite having more than three ticket machines on its western side. The queues at these machines are often longer than those at the ticket counters. Additionally, two ticket machines on the eastern side of Santacruz station have been inactive for months. Due to the relatively low crowd at this station and the higher availability of ticket windows, passengers have largely stopped using the machines.