Kochi: Now don’t wait for the mercy of TTEs inside the train to accommodate you in reservation coaches for short-distance travel. Contact the dedicated current booking counters that have been opened at the Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram stations.
Commuters can purchase the unreserved tickets available after preparation of charts four hours prior to departure of the trains and avail of the facility 20 minutes prior to the departure of trains.
“In normal cases, seat reservation cannot be done if the journey distance is below 200 km but in this case there is no distance restriction. The short-distance travellers can reap the maximum benefit,” said a top railway official.
For instance, seat reservation cannot be done in trains like Mangala and Netravati from Ernakulam till Kannur. However, if there are unreserved tickets, the commuter can confirm his seat by purchasing the ticket from the dedicated counter (counter No 9 in Ernakulam and counter No 4 in Thiruvananthapuram).
“The measure is intended to cut the misappropriation being done by the Travelling Ticket Examiners. No additional charges need be paid for purchasing the ticket. Usually, special trains and the long-distance ones during off season run with a lot of vacant seats. The counter will function round the clock except from 11.30 p.m. to 12.30 a.m. for server maintenance,” the official said.
