Glitches in services of Railways’s UTS app derails commuters

CHENNAI: The unreserved ticketing system (UTS) app introduced by the Indian Railways in 2014 to promote cashless transactions, contactless ticketing, and better convenience for passengers is falling short on many fronts due to poor user experience.

While the app is intended to allow commuters to book platform tickets, suburban tickets, and unreserved tickets without queueing up at booking counters, it has been frequently proving unreliable.

Aishwarya S, who frequently travels in suburban trains, says rush-time booking is difficult on the app. “There are many instances when I try to book tickets, the app either hangs or does not give accurate data while checking the geo-fencing limits. At times it doesn’t work even if it’s outside the station premises and simply hangs.” She suggests it would be better if the geo fencing is removed from the station premises except platforms.

Another regular commuter posted on the social networking platform X that the app fails to work even outside the Chennai Central railway station premises and that despite raising several complaints, no action has been taken till date.

T Sadagopan, a consumer activist from Pattabiram, points out that in areas such as Avadi and Tiruvallur the app doesn’t work, so it doesn’t serve its purpose to the public. Citing another drawback of the app, K Baskar, secretary of Tiruvallur Railway Passengers Association, says, “For instance, from Tiruvallur to Arakkonam, the app by default gives the fares of express trains, whereas the details of suburban train fares do not reflect on the app.”

When contacted, a senior official attached to the Chennai division of Southern Railways said the railways has received complaints about the app and the rectification of the app is on cards.