It seems that the e-ticketing facility used by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has been hit by some serious misfortune. While in February, the entire e-ticketing system was down due to a technical snag, the facility got mired in controversy after Bhosari Police lodged a case against a conductor for allegedly using an outdated machine. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/may/PN19E131625_1.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 324px;" /> Problem with the punch: The dearth of e-ticketing machinesu00a0is forcing bus conductors to issue punched tickets like before.u00a0Pics/Krunal Gosavi And now, around 40 per cent of e-ticketing service has been kept on hold due to shortage of around 600 machines, thereby forcing bus conductors to use traditional ticketing methods and issue punched tickets to passengers. <img alt="" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/may/PN19E131623.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 360px;" /> Satyajeet Mokashi, a bus conductor on Sinhagad Road route, said, &ldquo;We have been informed that e-ticketing system has been hit, and have been asked to use manual ticketing system. The switch over has been made in the last three days.&rdquo; Mokashi said, &ldquo;The e-ticketing system was comparatively better while handing over the total collection of the day and the number of sold tickets. Now, I am spending half an hour every evening to give the details of the money and number of passengers who have purchased the tickets.&rdquo; D A Pardeshi, spokesperson of PMPML, said, &ldquo;Currently 1,500 e-ticketing machines are in use and we need at least 600 more.&rdquo; However, sources revealed that there is total requirement 2,000 to 2,200 such machines and 1,200 to 1,300 machines are in use. A PMPML clerk, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said, &ldquo;The shortage of e-ticketing machines is being felt at Narveer Tanaji Wadi, Bhosari, Nigdi, Pimpri, Kothrud and Hadapsar.&rdquo; Jugal Rathi, President, PMPML Pravasi Manch, said, &ldquo;It is really an issue of concern if 40 to 50 per cent of the e-ticketing machines are not in working condition. These machines are certainly useful for giving real time information for PMPML management. The e-ticketing contractor should be taken to task by conducting an inquiry of the e-ticketing system and the contract should be discontinued if the contract company is found guilty.&rdquo; R N Joshi, chairman and MD of PMPML, said, &ldquo;E-ticketing has some problems, but it is absurd to ask for the scrapping of the contract because of that. These are all technical problems and we can&rsquo;t terminate the contract for this. Our aim is to improve and make the system more user-friendly and sustainable. Scrapping of e-ticketing is not the solution, as the problem can be resolved soon.&rdquo; E-ticketing controversies &gt;&gt; A PMPML bus conductor was arrested in 2009 for fraudulently using e-ticketing machine &gt;&gt;u00a0Bhosari police found bogus e-ticketing machine being used for distribution of tickets at Pimpri and arrested two persons &gt;&gt;u00a0Charges of some PMPML bus conductors joining hands with the e-ticketing contractor were made in the incidents of issuing group ticketing to passengers &gt;&gt;u00a0E-ticketing machine at Bhosari showed a wrong figure of Rs 9 lakh on a recent tripu00a0

Around 40 per cent of e-ticketing service used by PMPML has been halted due to shortage of around 600 machines; bus conductors are issuing punched tickets to passengers

Dearth of e-machines forces conductors to punch tickets

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Dearth of e-machines forces conductors to punch tickets

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