Guwahati, Oct 4 : The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has taken another step towards improving passenger convenience by installing Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) at Guwahati railway station, officials said on Saturday.

The NFR General Manager, Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, inaugurated the facility on Friday as part of a wider plan to modernise ticketing services in more than 100 numbers of ATVMs being provided across major railway stations of NFR jurisdiction to offer passengers a faster and more convenient ticketing experience.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that the ATVM is designed to provide passengers with a quick, user-friendly and modern method of purchasing unreserved train tickets.

With this machine, passengers will no longer need to stand in long queues at ticket counters. Instead, they can easily get their tickets by making digital payments directly at the machine, he stated. This helps in saving valuable time and ensures smoother crowd management at railway stations in the region.

The CPRO said that it can issue unreserved tickets, platform tickets and even season tickets, making it a multipurpose facility for daily commuters as well as occasional travellers.

One of the major advantages of the ATVM is its ability to promote cashless transactions and digital India initiatives, he said.

The official informed that alongside the ATVM, NFR has installed 36 Water Vending Machines (WVMs) at 13 stations, providing clean, safe and affordable drinking water round-the-clock.

By encouraging passengers to refill their own containers, the initiative promotes eco-friendliness, reduces reliance on bottled water and ensures hygiene and convenience.

With pure water available at economical prices, the WVMs truly embody the message of 'Har Ghoont Mein Swachhta', ensuring safe water for healthy travel.

Passengers can obtain half litres of water from the WVMs at Rs 3 for a refill and Rs 5 if using a container, Sharma said, adding that a water quality testing facility is also available for passengers who wish to test the water, ensuring safe and hygienic drinking water during their journey.

Speaking on the occasion, NFR GM Shrivastava said that the introduction of the ATVMs and WVMs at Guwahati station will go a long way in improving travel comfort for passengers.

He also added that Northeast Frontier Railway is committed to bringing more such passenger-friendly facilities across its network in the coming days.

Guwahati station is also developing sleeping pods for the convenience of the passengers, and it is expected to be completed by December this year.

With the installation of the ATVM and WVMs, the NFR has taken a significant step towards modernisation and enhanced passenger services.

CPRO Sharma said these facilities are expected to be widely welcomed by travellers, especially during rush hours, by making ticketing faster and easier and providing clean, safe drinking water at affordable rates.

The initiatives aim to promote digitalisation, improve operational efficiency and enhance overall passenger satisfaction, making railway services more accessible, convenient and passenger-friendly while supporting eco-friendly practices, the official said.

/IANS