Western Railway provides thrust to digital mode of payments and transactions
Western Railway is continuously promoting the “Digital India” initiative to transform India into a digitally empowered society. As a part of this endeavour, W .Rly has enabled the facility of digital transactions at many places including 354 stations at various points of customer interface. These include UTS/ PRS locations, catering units, goods and parcel offices and other service contract locations.
According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Sumit Thakur, with a view to maximize digital transactions, these stations have been provided with the facility of cashless transactions through various digital modes. On an average 4.50 lakh passengers per day are using the facility of ticketing through digital means over Western Rly.
In addition to the above transactions, other miscellaneous transactions such as bills recoverable, payments for deposit works, auction sales, ground rents and other miscellaneous receipts which were hitherto being transacted through cheques/ DDs have also being brought under the ambit of digital transactions using the portal "Miscellaneous e-Receipts System" (MERS).
Thakur informed that in order to promote and proliferate digital and cashless transactions & increase in outreach, various unique initiatives have been implemented by Western Railway. Till now 928 POS machines have been installed for facilitating cashless transactions. The facility of payment through UPI and BHIM has also been enabled at all UTS and PRS counters. UTS on mobile app for unreserved ticketing initiated on Western Railway as pilot project for Mumbai suburban section has been extended for all the Western Railway locations.
QR code based ticketing has been implemented over Mumbai Suburban and the same will also be extended soon to non suburban locations. 64 Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) have been provided to TTEs of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Special trains with provision of digital payment. 100% catering units over Western Railway are equipped with Cashless Transaction facilities including POS machines, Paytm /BHIM app etc. E-payment has been implemented across Western Railway for goods traffic. 92 POS machines have been installed at all important Goods shed and parcel locations for facilitating digital transactions by customers.
With good response, a large number of customers have opted for e-payment facility as on date. Digitalization has also been introduced in other areas such as Parking & in Pay and Use contracts. Total 88 locations have been covered under digitalization. Similarly, 19 locations of Pay & Use facility and Retiring rooms at 30 stations have been covered.
In addition to this, flash plays at stations, help desk in station premises, display of posters, etc for promotion of digital payments are being done on regular basis. Further incentive in the form of bonus is also being given on ATVM and UTS on mobile app. WR's all divisions have been instructed to get all the new customers registered under E-RD so as to achieve 100% issuance of ET-RR.
Recently introduced MERS system for remitting amounts of miscellaneous receipts is being proliferated. Payment to all contractors, vendors and employees is being done electronically through CIPS and has been made mandatory. Wide publicity is being arranged to promote digital payments through press releases at regular intervals. Publicity is also being done by posting on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook & Instagram in the form of text, pictures, infographics & GIFs from time to time to reach out to the customers on one-to-one basis with the message for its effective promotion.
Thakur further informed that in this direction, Indian Railways have launched the IRCTC – SBI Contactless Credit Card on 28th July, 2020. This credit card is fully ‘Made in India’ card developed by IRCTC & SBI & powered by Rupay. This unique initiative will definitely help in paperless transactions in the entire ticket booking & ticket checking process.
Alok Kansal - General Manager of Western Rly has commended the good progress of digital payments & transactions over Western Rly. He said that Western Railway is leaving no stone unturned to accomplish the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of “Digital India” as well as “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”. As a part of this very endeavour, Western Railway is striving to achieve 100% cashless transactions at all points of sales covering all business streams and at all stations. Western Rly has urged all its customers to be a part of this important initiative by adopting digital means and to transform India into a digitally empowered society.
