The Indian Railways has clarified that unreserved tickets booked through the RailOne app will be valid only on the same registered mobile phone from which the ticket was issued, and not on copies sent via WhatsApp.
Also, the Railways said that screenshots of tickets, or other means, are not considered valid for travel.
What Railways said
In a post on X (Formerly Twitter), South East Central Railway said along with a video, “Showing a ticket received on WhatsApp is not enough; knowing the railway rules is essential!”
Also read: BSNL launches satellite phone: Price, prepaid, postpaid plans and how to buy
It added, “An unreserved ticket booked through the RailOne App is considered valid only on the same registered mobile from which the ticket was issued. It is also mandatory to carry a photo identity card along with the said mobile during the journey. Tickets received via WhatsApp, screenshot, or other means are not considered valid travel authorization.”
The clarification came after a train passenger was fined for showing a screenshot on WhatsApp instead of the original ticket.
Passengers react
The post on X received strong reactions from passengers, questioning the Railways’ move. One X user called it “thuggery”.
“I book online tickets for my family. The tickets are valid, I have the ID. What else is needed now? This is just thuggery,” an user posted on X.
“Dear @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia is it true? And how is it possible I book ticket for my whole family and I don’t travel with them most of time, what should I do give them my mobile phone also (sic),” another user said.
“Make rules in such a way that everyone can use them. Elderly people and many others don’t know how to use apps like RailOne or UTS. Do you even think about them? This isn’t a proper system; it’s just a mess,” commented another person.
“I book tickets for my entire family, and most of the time I don’t travel with them. What am I supposed to do now-give them my mobile phone as well?” questioned another user on X.
Comments are closed.