It was only last week. Nand Kishore, who worked in a factory in Faridabad, had to go to his village in Bihar. He bought a ticket for Sampoorn Kranti Express to go from New Delhi to Patna.
Ticket was not available in general quota. Standing in the queue for hours to cut the ticket in Tatkal, then he got the confirmed ticket. But when he boarded the train, he came to know that he had forgotten his ticket at home.
However, he had clicked the photo of the ticket with his mobile phone. Along with this, he also has a message from the Railways about his coach and berth. In such a situation, the question arises whether he will be able to travel or not?
Will it be considered a valid ticket?
Nand Kishore had bought the ticket from the reservation counter of the railways. But when he left home to board the train, he forgot to keep that ticket in his pocket or in his bag.
However, he had clicked the photo of the ticket on his mobile. Along with this, there is also a message sent by the Railways in his mobile, which has information about the berth and coach. He shows the ticket to TTE on mobile. Will it be considered as TTE valid ticket?
This is not a valid ticket
Railway Board official says that if a passenger has bought a ticket from the counter, then he will have to keep that ticket with him at all costs. In such case the photograph of the ticket or SMS of the Railways cannot be valid.
Because whoever will have the counter ticket, he can cancel it by going to any window of the railway. After canceling, he will take money from the railways. Even after half an hour of the train’s departure, it can be canceled.
If travel on photo is allowed in this case, then the Railways will suffer a two-way loss. On one hand, the railway seat will go and on the other hand money can also be taken by canceling the ticket.
When is railway sms valid
Message sent on mobile phone regarding seat and berth number can be treated as valid ticket. It was validated only in the year 2012. But there is some condition with this.
Railway officials say that SMS will be valid in the case of only those passengers who have booked through IRCTC website or mobile phone app. It is not valid in case of those who have taken a paper ticket from the counter.
If there is no counter ticket then can travel be done?
If a passenger has deducted a counter ticket and cannot show the same to the TTE during the journey, then that passenger may be allowed to travel subject to certain conditions.
First, he has to prove to the TTE that he is the passenger in whose name the ticket has been generated. Second, he will have to pay the ticket price and fine. If the ticket is of air condition class then GST will have to be paid separately.
What will happen in case of e-ticket
In case of e-ticket, there is no compulsion to carry the ticket. When e-tickets were introduced in railways, the print out of e-tickets was mandated. Meaning that the passengers who did not carry the print out were considered as ticket.
But when Mamta Banerjee became the Railway Minister, then this problem was noticed. It was only after this that the compulsion of carrying the print out of the ticket was removed for the e-ticket takers. Even if a passenger takes a print out of the e-ticket, there is no problem. If not, then his SMS will also be valid.
