Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: Despite being developed as a model station, Tatanagar Railway Station continues to face serious operational and passenger convenience issues. The station, one of the busiest in the Chakradharpur Division, handles over 42,000 passengers and 51 mail and express trains daily. However, malfunctioning ticket vending machines and broken luggage scanners have left passengers frustrated.
Of the nine automatic ticket vending machines installed on the station premises, three are currently out of order. Two of the seven machines at the First Entry Gate and one of the four machines near the Burmamines Entry Gate are non-functional. Passengers also complain about the frequent absence of vendors at the remaining machines, making it difficult for those unfamiliar with the system to purchase tickets. “Most of the time, vendors are absent. Passengers who don’t know how to operate the machines are left stranded,” said Dr. Arun Tiwari, General Secretary of the Chhotanagpur Passenger Association.
The luggage scanner machines at the main entrance have also been out of order for nearly two months, raising security concerns. In addition, passengers pointed out the absence of digital display boards near the main gate ticket counters, which prevents them from receiving timely information about trains and platforms.
Passengers have demanded immediate repair of the ticket vending and luggage scanning machines, along with strict adherence to vendor duty schedules. Responding to the complaints, Divisional Railway Manager (Chakradharpur) Tarun Huria stated, “Instructions have been given to repair malfunctioning luggage scanner machines. If the machines haven’t been repaired, we will inquire about it. Vendors will also be instructed to remain at the ticket vending machines.”
Until these issues are addressed, passengers say, the model station tag will remain merely a claim rather than a reality.
