Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 4: Authorities of East Coast Railway (ECoR) have put up a signboard at the booking counter on the Cuttack Road-side entrance to Bhubaneswar railway station announcing the availability of platform tickets there.
Orissa POST had published a report headlined ‘How rail passengers pay Re 1 more for platform tickets’ in its November 2 edition highlighting how the absence of the signboard had led to most people flocking to a nearby authorised private agent’s counter to purchase platform tickets. People buying platform tickets at the authorised agent’s counter have to pay Rs 11 for every platform ticket, which is available at the railways’ booking counters at the standard price of Rs 10. The agents charge Re 1 per ticket as commission.
Absence of the signboard had also been affecting the sale of platform tickets at the railways’ booking counter at the Cuttack Road-side entrance outside platform No. 6. After the signboard was put up following publication of the news report in Orissa POST, it is noticed that the private agent, who used to open his counter at 5 am, now opens it at 7 am apparently due to a significant drop in the rush at the counter.
A majority of visitors who enter the railway station through the Cuttack Road-side entrance now buy platform tickets at the railways’ booking counter there.