PUNE: People living in fringe areas of the city could soon purchase rail tickets in markets and other such crowded places, instead of going to the railway stations or relying on authorised agents for  this.

Pune division of Central Railway will soon get four ‘Mushkil Aasaan’ mobile ticketing vans, which will issue journey tickets, both reserved and unreserved, to people in distant places.

“The idea behind introducing ‘Mushkil Aasaan’ vans is that it should serve as an alternative means of buying tickets for travellers living in fringe and rural areas, where it is difficult to have access to the existing method of issuing tickets,” Divisional Commercial Manager Dr Alok Badkul told ‘Sakal Times’.

“These vans have been already running in Kolkata and Delhi since the last few months as part of a pilot launch of the new system. They have evoked a good response from the public,” he added.

Authorities say that passengers will not have to pay any surcharge for booking tickets through ‘Mushkil Aasaan’ vans.

Introduction of these mobile vans across all major cities in the country will be a step in keeping the promise made by the Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, while presenting the Railway Budget 2009-2010.

“These vans will move around for about a week in a particular fringe and rural area, and would cater to the local population by remaining stationary in markets and other such crowded places on a given day,” Badkul said.

Railway authorities, however, refused to give any specific time limit for the allotment of these four vans for the Pune division.

FARE CHANCE

There is no surcharge for booking tickets through ‘Mushkil Aasaan’ vans, which will move around for about a week in a rural area. It would remain stationary in markets or other such places on a given day.