ABSTRACT

Unreserved Ticke ng System

in
Indian Railways

Under the guidance of:

Prof. Monica Singhania
Ph.D., Finance & Accoun ng Faculty,
Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi,
Delhi-110007

Submi ed By:
Subject Area

The demand for safe, fast, and reliable rail services con nues to be the reason for concern in all the
countries across the globe.

Lack of opera onal efficiency and reliability, safety and security issues, and aging railway systems and
prac ces are haun ng various countries to bring about a change in their exis ng rail infrastructure. The
global rail industry struggles to meet the increasing demand for freight and passenger transporta on
due to lack of op mized use of rail network and inefficient use of rail assets. This is expected to induce
rail execu ves to build rail systems that are smarter and more efficient. The passenger reserva on
system of Indian Railways is one of the world's largest reserva on models. Daily about one million
passengers travel in reserved accommoda on with Indian Railways. Another sixteen million travel with
unreserved ckets in Indian Railways. In this vast system, it is a herculean task to efficiently handle the
passenger data, which is a key point of considera on now-a-days.

The Unreserved Ticke ng System uses Smart Compu ng which is a new approach of technology that can
be efficiently used in Railway systems. In the case of Indian Railways, detailed passenger data is needed
to be handled for mostly the reserved accommoda ons. And to provide fast and efficient services,
the huge passenger data needs to be processed and stored in a very fast and seamless manner.
Moreover this is a step ahead in wiping out different corrup ons and loopholes in the exis ng
system, thereby providing an excellent and efficient passenger service.

Case Objec ve

The UTS system's single goal is to take advantage of modern technology and improve the situa on of the
average person who must wait in long lines to book ckets. Thus, it aims to offer a simple, prac cal
system for issuing ckets with more accountability and transparency. It seeks to provide a system with a
centralised accoun ng system and change management system.

The UTS system makes use of cu ng-edge technology and provides commuters with an efficient
cke ng process, resul ng in a reduc on in line length.

Through mobile cke ng, kiosks, the integra on of e-wallets, PoS (Point of Sale) devices at counters,
automa c cket vending machines (ATVM), currency operated cket vending machines (CoTVM), and
other methods, it is possible to foster a cashless economy and a digital India.

To obtain a cke ng system that is really effec ve and clever as previously the system was vulnerable to
fraudulent ac vi es.
Case Overview

Northern Railway launched the unreserved cke ng system as a demonstra on programme in August
2002. The Self Prin ng Ticket Machines (SPTMs), a stand-alone system that was phased out with the
introduc on of UTS, were a forerunner to this centralised cke ng system. To provide business
con nuity in the case of a network failure, sta on level servers were first used to support the central
hardware design.

The cket distribu on was handled by the booking office employee u lising dumb terminals and dot
matrix printers. A newer design was used with the advent of thin clients made available to the operator
as network dependability increased over me.

While CRIS maintains the applica on and guarantees business con nuity at the system level, the Zonal
Railways are in charge of staffing the UTS counters and managing the services. According to travel class,
senior ci zen and kid discounts, other category discounts, and season ckets, the system offers close to
100 different cket op ons. The business regula ons and fares are regulated by the policies of the
Ministry of Railways.

The idea of a Cash-Coin & Smart Card operated cket vending machine (CoTVM) was developed to avoid
standing in lines at counters and to encourage self service based speedy dispensing of ckets.

Nine Zonal Railways—NR, CR, WR, SR, SWR, SCR, ER, SER, and SECR—have these kiosks in opera on. The
CoTVM is a self-service kiosk that is run by customers. It has the ability to renew season ckets as well as
provide Journey and Pla orm ckets.

Smart cards used in ATMs can also be recharged using it (Automa c Ticket Vending Machines). Coins,
bank notes, and smart cards can all be used to make payments. The machine can accept specific 5 and
10 rupee coins as well as Gandhi series banknotes in denomina ons of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 rupees.
Ashoka Chakra-emblazoned cash notes are not accepted by the machine.

According to the Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewa (JTBS) programme of the Railway Board, which was
introduced in January 2007, cke ng services for the unreserved sector were also contracted out. These
businesses provide operators a li le commission each passenger and self-employment prospects. These
counters' terminals are connected to the centralised servers that issue the ckets.

While CRIS maintains the applica on and guarantees business con nuity at the system level, the Zonal
Railways are in charge of staffing the UTS counters and managing the services. According to travel class,
senior ci zen and kid discounts, other category discounts, and season ckets, the system offers close to
100 different cket op ons. The policies of the Ministry of Railways define the business regula ons and
rates.
Expected Learning Outcomes (limit 300 words)

1] Iden fy the usability and impact of the unreserved cket system : It has been a very benefited for the
passengers as earlier passengers were not able to get the ckets in advance a er this ini a ve of the Indian
railways passengers can purchase the unreserved ckets three days in advance for a journey above 200 plus
kilometers 9excluding the day of journey)

Addi onally, passengers can purchase the ckets to any distance involving the journey of the same day. Hence
there is no hassle for the passengers to purchase the ckets as it was earlier.

Users can purchase now half yearly (HST) and yearly (YST) seasons ckets as per their requirement.

2] Recent development in the unreserved cket system domain :

Kiosks : Through mobile cke ng, kiosks, the integra on of e-wallets, PoS (Point of Sale) devices at counters,
automa c cket vending machines (ATVM), currency operated cket vending machines (CoTVM)

App : Now, the ckets can be booked by the applica on available on android and the payment can be easily
made through there. Plus there will be no need of ge ng the hard copy of the cket simply the online cket
can be shown to the TTE (Train Ticket Examiner). The other services are also available on applica on like -
doctor on call, foods etc.

R Wallet : R wallet is inbuilt in the applica on where the user can add the money and u lize it as per his or
her requirement and it’s not mandatory to add money payment can be done through other medium also like -
paytm, goggle pay, airtel payment bank etc etc

Cancella on : Ticket can be canceled as well if no more required by the users. Earlier no such liberality was
provided to passengers.

3} Revenue genera on by the Indian railways through the unreserved cket system : Indian railways is earning
millions and millions from here both by booking and canceling of the ckets it records the all me highest of

st
344.740 INR millions on 1 April 2022.
Data Sources & Methodology

In this case study, we have collected informa on from various sources - web studies, case studies, research
papers and made a one to one conversa on with Indian railways personnel who were a part of
implementa on in order to get the first hand informa on.

Addi onally, we have done the surveys both online and offline mode where the views of two categories of
samples is collected :

We have discovered there are mul ple applica ons regarding the unreserved cke ng system and these are
available in online space. We have used and tested as users to find out the usability and flaws of most of
them.

While analyzing the samples collected via surveys we have observed the interes ng outcomes which are
presented in detailed form in this management case study along with the various approaches taken by the
Indian railways for the passengers.

Sampling methodology has provided some real fact about :

1] Challenges faced by the local users with the applica on and this unreserved cke ng system.
2] Issuing of unreserved cke ng system.
3] Types of unreserved ckets.
4] Cancella on of unreserved ckets.
5] In-built R wallet in unreserved cket system app.

Impact
The UTS system’s major achievement with the help of contemporary technology was to enhance the
situa on of ci zens who had to stand in line for hours to purchase ckets. In order to provide a
straigh orward, useful approach for issuing ckets with greater accountability and transparency, it
offered a system that includes a change management system and centralised accoun ng system.

Modern technology is used by the UTS system to offer passengers a quick and easy way to purchase
ckets, shortening wait mes.

The system supports the idea of Digital India and promotes a cashless economy using mobile cke ng,
kiosks, the integra on of e-wallets, PoS (Point of Sale) devices at counters, automa c cket vending
machines (ATVM), currency operated cket vending machines (CoTVM), and other techniques.

To protect the confiden ality, integrity, and availability of the informa on systems and communica on
networks that store, process, and transmit data, every organisa on that uses IT extensively is required to
secure IT and related assets, including data, applica ons, and infrastructure. It is essen al that proper
provisions be made for logical and physical access, as well as environmental controls. The following
examples show how the standard checks were insufficient:

Environmental and physical controls guard against unauthorised physical access to and disrup on of IT
services. Because UTS is a mission-cri cal system, it is essen al that the computer hardware and the
data on it be physically secured, that only authorised individuals have access to them, and that the IT
assets are well-maintained and sufficiently protected. The audit found that:

The system was vulnerable to interrup on by unauthorised par es since there was no effec ve
mechanism to prevent access by unauthorised people to UTS loca ons housing terminals,
communica on equipment, money, and other documents, as well as to the server rooms (SR, ECoR, WR,
NR, NER, SECR and SER). Addi onally lacking was the server room's physical security (SR and WR).

In UTS loca ons across ECoR and SER, neither security staff nor equipment were placed to prevent
unauthorised access. The biometric iden fica on system that CCM/IT office buildings established to
manage access to the console room that houses the zonal servers was not in use in NR.

The system was exposed to unauthorised access due to inadequate physical and logical access
restric ons, and IT assets were not sufficiently protected. Controls for change management were also lax
since adjustments were made improperly or belatedly a er rules amendment. The changes weren't
recorded.

The regula ons for advance journey cket issuance, cket cancella on, and season cket issuance were
insufficient. When travelling to close by loca ons, the policy permi ng cancella on of non-suburban
ckets was vulnerable to abuse.

The system improperly adopted rates and sta on lengths, which resulted in incorrect fare collec on from
customers. The valida on rules for issuing blank paper ckets were also insufficient, and certain routes
were not iden fied in the system, preven ng the issue of ckets to des na ons. The database has a
number of errors that called into ques on its accuracy.

The system design had a number of flaws that not only created opera onal limits but also necessitated
manual interven on, increasing security concerns and crea ng annoyance for passengers. The system
design did not fully incorporate all the business rules.

Indian Railways have to have a business con nuity and disaster recovery plan that takes into account all
aspects of IT risks. Regular tes ng of the backup plans is necessary to prevent synchronisa on issues.

From revenue standpoint, UTS witnesses a daily cket sales of approximately 2.34 lakhs, which cover
approximately 14.21 lakh passenger trips, generate approximately Rs. 1.33 billion in revenue.

Prac cal Implica ons (limit 300 words)

The influence of this carefully designed system is seen in the accomplishments:

1. Every single day, more than 8 million ckets are sold under UTS.
2. Every day, more than 500 million dollars in total sales revenue are generated.
3. Daily passenger earnings are 500+ million dollars.
4. 20+ million passengers travel each day on average.
5. 12000+ Point of Sales (PoS) UTS Counters
6. There are around 3,000 automa c cket vending machines.
7. There are 300+ cash, coin, and smart card driven cket machines.

● Convenience

Providing customers with more op ons and ease when purchasing ckets, hence decreasing the need for
booking counters at sta ons

● Digital Payment

UTS poten ally promotes a cashless economy and a digital India using mobile cke ng, kiosks, the
integra on of e-wallets, PoS (Point of Sale) devices at counters, automa c cket vending machines
(ATVM), currency operated cket vending machines (CoTVM), and other techniques. The UTS on Mobile
Project is now available for Android, Windows, and iOS mobile devices. Payments can be made online
using Netbanking and credit/debit cards. The App has been integrated with a number of e-wallets.

● Smartphone applica on

On April 22, 2015, the UTS on Mobile Project was introduced with a paperless cket op on for Android
and Windows smartphones. A mobile app for iOS devices was also released on February 8th, 2018. You
can get the "UTS" app from the Apple App Store, Windows Phone Store, and Google Play Store. There is
a website called www.utsonmobile.indianrail.gov.in. The mobile applica on includes 6333 sta ons as
sources out of 9120 total sta ons.

Social Implica ons (limit 300 words)

● Contrary to previous belief that Rail travel needs to be planned way ahead of me made Rail
travel quite restricted. However UTS offers the op on to buy unreserved ckets three days prior
to the day of travel. A passenger may purchase a cket at the UTS counter for any des na on
that is served by that sta on.
● Addi onally, the cancella on of ckets has been made simpler. Up to one day prior to the
departure, passengers may cancel their ckets at any sta on that has a UTS counter. The cket
may be cancelled on the day of travel from any sta on in the cluster where the journey was
scheduled to begin.
● This makes Rail travel convenient & a racts more foo all. The system thus streamlines travel
thus encouraging people from different parts of the country to connect & physically meet each
other in this digital age where mee ng virtually is slowly becoming a norm.

● Self-Employement

The Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra and Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewa programmes. These businesses
give operators a commission per passenger and self-employment prospects.

● Plan for agents

Sta on Booking Agents (STBAs), who work at UTS counters inside railroad facili es and are paid a
commission depending on collec ons, are a new type of outside party or agency.

● Transparency

This system makes it possible to prevent travel agents and touts from making fraudulent
bookings. Previously, these individuals would buy a large number of ckets using fic ous names
and ages. Later, these ckets are offered to groups of individuals who fit the age categories, and
only one person per cket actually travels; the other individuals do so under a false name. This
new model's two-level authen ca on verifica on makes it simple to close this loophole.
Service Delivery Channel

Currently, an unreserved cket can be bought via the following ways:

1. Ticket window (offline)

2. ATVM/CoATVM machine (offline) - Automa c Ticket Vending Machine (ATVM) was introduced

by Indian Railways to reduce passengers queuing up at the Ticket counters at the Railway

Sta ons. ATVMs are touch screen based cke ng kiosks operated using Smart cards. The

passenger can purchase and recharge the Smart cards from nominated cket counters.

3. JTBS counters (offline) - JTBS or Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Seva is an outsourcing scheme of

the Indian Railways. It allows entrepreneurs to set up cket sale counters near railway

sta ons and sell unreserved railway ckets. The selected Jansadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks

(operators) sell unreserved rail ckets through computerized UTS (Unreserved Ticke ng

System) terminals. JTBS was conceptualized and introduced with a view to improve

dispensa on of unreserved ckets in city areas other than the railway sta ons and provide

jobs. These would be beneficial for passengers as they could get the general ckets in the

market instead of going to the sta on.

4. UTS app (online): To be able to purchase ckets via UTS app, user should have an android or

ios phone with internet connec vity. Users should register with the app. Paperless ckets

can be booked only within a 2 km radius of the source sta on.

Few interes ng facts :

 1. Approximately 9983 Unreserved Ticke ng system (UTS) counters at various sta ons of Indian
Railways.
2. 2737 Automa c Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMS)/Cash-coin & Smart Card operated
(Versa le) Ticket Vending Machine (CoTVMs).

URLs:

https://erail.in/info/ticket-booking-uts/208
https://www.deccanherald.com/national/indian-railways-resumes-sale-of-general-tickets-1086290.html
https://www.irctchelp.in/unreserved-trains-indian-railway/
https://www.news18.com/news/auto/passengers-travelling-in-general-coaches-no-more-need-reserved-tic
kets-5496751.html
https://www.irctchelp.in/unreserved-trains-indian-railway/
https://services.india.gov.in/service/detail/unreserved-mobile-ticketing-services-1
https://railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in/madad/final/home.jsp
https://pmg.dpiit.gov.in/

Outreach meline

Scalable Modular Advanced Rail Ticke ng System (SMARTS), a railway cke ng system so ware, was
implemented (1998) over IR on standalone Self Prin ng Ticke ng Machines (SPTMs) for the issuance of
unreserved ckets. While SMARTS helped to reduce cket inventories and provided automated
accoun ng at the sta on level, the system had a number of drawbacks, including the inability to cancel
ckets over the counter, higher transporta on costs for upda ng programme logic, the requirement for a
significant amount of manpower, and a lack of centralized control over individual booking offices.
Unreserved Ticke ng System (UTS), which was proposed by IR (2001-02) to be implemented first at 23
places in the Delhi area, was created to get around these restric ons.