This is an absolute convenience. Now, travel with the Indian railway with just a soft copy (Virtual Reservation Message [VRM]) of the railway e-ticket. This move by the railways could have a considerable positive implication on the passenger and the environment.
Virtual Reservation Message (VRM) - A screen-shot of the e-ticket displayed through laptops/palmtops/ Mobile phone. VRM combined with valid photo-id in original will be treated as an instrument on par with the Electronic Reservation Slip (ERS). ERS/VRM along with proofs of identity in original will also authorize the passenger to enter the platform on the day of journey and he/she will not be required to purchase platform ticket.
Forget about clamoring to take a print out or worse still not including the print out as part of the entourage. Now the convenience is simple as storing the snapshot on your mobile or even someone sending it to you, in case it’s forgotten. Oh well, what if the display device is forgotten, obviously if you don’t have a print out of the ticket or the display device then will have to pay the fine for the travel.
From an environmental standpoint with the VRM we can save about 3 lak
h A4 papers daily, which amounts to saving of 25.5 full grown trees, 40 m3 of water 6150 kilowatt-hour of electricity on a daily basis (estimates only).
This latest move adds a further shade of green to its operations.
It does leave me with an afterthought are they focusing on the right stuff such as operating efficiency of engines and rakes, transmission and use of electricity. I am sure there is huge opportunity for the railways to play deeper green.
Virtual Reservation Message (VRM) - A screen-shot of the e-ticket displayed through laptops/palmtops/ Mobile phone. VRM combined with valid photo-id in original will be treated as an instrument on par with the Electronic Reservation Slip (ERS). ERS/VRM along with proofs of identity in original will also authorize the passenger to enter the platform on the day of journey and he/she will not be required to purchase platform ticket.
Forget about clamoring to take a print out or worse still not including the print out as part of the entourage. Now the convenience is simple as storing the snapshot on your mobile or even someone sending it to you, in case it’s forgotten. Oh well, what if the display device is forgotten, obviously if you don’t have a print out of the ticket or the display device then will have to pay the fine for the travel.
From an environmental standpoint with the VRM we can save about 3 lak
h A4 papers daily, which amounts to saving of 25.5 full grown trees, 40 m3 of water 6150 kilowatt-hour of electricity on a daily basis (estimates only).- One tonne of paper is equal to 200, 000 sheets of A4 paper.
- 1 A4 page of 80gsm; 1m2 = 16 x A4 sheets. 1 A4 sheet = 80g/16 = 5grams.
- 1 tonne/5 A4 sheets = 200,000 A4 sheets
- 17 trees are used to make one tonne of paper. Recyling 1 ton (0.91 t) of paper saves 17 mature trees, 26 m3 of water, 2 barrels of oil and 4,100 kilowatt-hours (15 GJ) of electricity
This latest move adds a further shade of green to its operations.
It does leave me with an afterthought are they focusing on the right stuff such as operating efficiency of engines and rakes, transmission and use of electricity. I am sure there is huge opportunity for the railways to play deeper green.
