Pune rail, metro authorities mulling starting joint ticket counters

Aug 16, 2023 11:15 PM IST

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Currently, the railway ticketing counter is on the ground floor of the entry gate on Raja Bahadur Mill Road whereas the metro ticketing counter is inside the metro station

Pune railway and metro authorities are contemplating starting joint ticket counters at the intersection (mostly foot-overbridges/FOBs) of the railway- and metro- stations for the convenience and comfort of commuters.

Passengers at the connecting bridge between Pune railway station and the metro station. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Talking about the issue, Ramdas Bhise, divisional commercial manager and public relations officer, Pune railway division, said, “Pune division is deliberating with the Pune metro authorities for the opening of ticket windows for issuing railway and metro tickets at Pune railway station. A joint site visit will be conducted shortly next week and the location will be fixed accordingly.”

Currently, the railway ticketing counter is on the ground floor of the entry gate on Raja Bahadur Mill Road whereas the metro ticketing counter is inside the metro station on the upper side. Passengers travelling by metro to Pune railway station to board trains have to take the FOB to buy train tickets and those coming for pick-ups and drop-offs are also getting confused.

Prakash Sodhi, a citizen, said, “I had gone to drop my parents who were boarding the train to Indore on Sunday. We travelled by metro from Chinchwad to Pune railway station but when we reached Pune railway station, I did not have a platform ticket. When we took the FOB to the platform, one of the ticket-checkers (TCs) stopped us and asked about my platform ticket. Having a railway ticket counter at the FOB (upper side) would be beneficial for passengers.”

Following inauguration of the second phase of the Pune Metro by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 1, passengers alighting from trains at Pune railway station are now able to travel directly to the nearby metro station by FOB. Every day, there are 230 to 266 trains going all over the country from Pune railway station with lakhs of passengers taking these trains. No longer do railway passengers have to run with heavy bags as they have a feeder metro service directly from the railway station to long-distance destinations on the Pimpri-Chinchwad metro route and the Karve Road metro route. The maximum ticket the metro is ₹30 which is affordable for most passengers.