Passengers travelling on the Sealdah North section will soon have fewer railway reservation facilities at their neighbourhood stations. Eastern Railway has decided to close Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at eight stations from next month, prompting concerns among regular commuters and residents.
Notices informing passengers about the closure have already been displayed at the affected stations. While the railway authorities say the decision was taken after reviewing workload, many passengers have appealed for the counters to remain operational.
Which railway stations will be affected?
According to a notification issued by Eastern Railway, PRS counters at the following stations will be closed:
Agarpara
Titagarh
Jagaddal
Birati
Ashoknagar Road
Maslandapur
Dhakuria
New Alipore
The railway administration said the move was based on an assessment of the workload handled by these reservation counters.
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How can passengers book tickets?
Eastern Railway has advised passengers to visit the nearest Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centre for booking, cancellation and other reservation-related services after the counters are shut.
Passengers can also complete these services online through the IRCTC website.
Passengers say closure will increase inconvenience
The decision has not gone down well with many commuters, particularly those who regularly book long-distance train tickets from these stations.
Residents of Birati, Ashoknagar and several other areas said the local reservation counters made ticket booking much easier. With the counters set to close, they fear they will have to travel to larger stations, increasing both travel time and expenses.
Some passengers also pointed out that online booking is not always a practical option. They alleged that cyber cafés and ticketing agencies often charge additional service fees for making reservations.
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Travelling to bigger stations for ticket booking may also mean standing in long queues, they said, while raising concerns about the presence of touts at major reservation centres.
With the closure scheduled to take effect from next month, many passengers are hoping the railway authorities will reconsider the decision and restore reservation services at the affected stations.
