Commuters traveling to and from Airoli, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane, Turbhe have to make do with counters only at one end, resulting in chaos during peak hours
The non-functional ATVMs on harbour line stations posed a big problem for train commuters in Navi Mumbai. However, a bigger problem being encountered by those traveling from and to Airoli, Ghansoli, Kopar Khairane and Turbhe is that since the beginning, these stations have ticket-booking counters only on one entrance, when almost all stations have two ticket counters on the east and the west side. However, the ticket windows are built on the other side as well.u00a0
Shut case: The closed ticket counters on one side of the Airoli station is making life miserable for the commuters who waste a lot of time crossing over to the other side to punch a ticket. Pic/Abhinav Kocharekar
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“Earlier, it wasn’t much of a problem as commuters were less. However, it is now creating a problem for people coming from the highway, as they have to go to the opposite side to take a ticket or punch a coupon. There are no ATVMs or punching machines on the non-ticketing side,” said Amita Jagtab, a resident of Airoli.
“When I am running late for a particular train, I am sure to be even more delayed due to lack of ticketing windows. On the Thane-Vashi route there are no fast trains available which, according to me, is a major drawback. Railways should make life easier for daily commuters like us by starting up with ticket windows on both the sides of the Trans-harbour line stations,” said Joel Daniel, another commuter.Many feel the reason behind the lopsided system is that the areas are divided into residential and commercial. So, the ticketing counters on the residential side are working. However, commuters are noted to be traveling to and from both sides in equal numbers.
The other side
“We have received no official complaint from the commuters till now,” said A K Singh. PRO, Central Railway. “However, due to lack of staff we are not being able to start ticketing windows on both sides. We might start the facility for the benefit of the commuters once we have sufficient staff on-board.”u00a0
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