ATVMs installed in Hubballi division to reduce rush at ticket counters

Time of India

30-05-2025

Hubballi: In a move aimed at reducing crowds at ticket counters, South Western Railway (SWR), Hubballi division, installed 25 automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) across various stations in its jurisdiction.
Hubballi station has eight machines, followed by Belagavi and Ballari with three each, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Gadag, and Hosapete with two each, and Dharwad, Koppal, and Ghataprabha stations have one each.
Most passengers rely heavily on unreserved tickets. These machines are useful for daily commuters such as workers and students, enabling them to quickly and conveniently obtain tickets without having to wait in long queues.
ATVMs facilitate issuance of multiple ticket types, including monthly (season) passes, platform tickets, and unreserved journey tickets. One of the key features is the use of rechargeable smart cards, which can be used as needed for different travel purposes. Passengers can also scan a QR code to purchase tickets.
A total of 31 ATVM facilitators are appointed across various stations to assist passengers in using the machines.
They either disburse the tickets through the facilitator smart card or guide the passengers to buy tickets. These facilitators are retired railway employees selected through the screening of applications by the committee of officers.
To encourage the use of ATVMs, passengers purchasing unreserved tickets through these machines are offered discounts credited to their smart cards—3% for journeys up to 150 km, 2% for distances between 150 and 500 km, and 1% for trips exceeding 500 km. These discounts are also extended to ATVM facilitators (operators).
With advanced technical support, the department aims to significantly increase the number of tickets issued through ATVMs. This not only enhances passenger convenience but also reduces the workload on conventional ticket counters.