Raipur railway division pilots integrated vendor and staff management system with digital access cards

RAIPUR: The Raipur railway division has rolled out an integrated vendor and staff management system at Raipur railway station on a trial basis—the first of its kind in the country.

Designed as a preventive measure, the initiative aims to check the entry of unauthorised vendors in trains and address passenger complaints about travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) allegedly performing duty under the influence of alcohol, though no such case was reported in Chhattisgarh so far.Under the new system, vendors will be issued digital access cards that will serve as their identity and permit to enter platforms and trains.

"It will take 10–15 more days to complete the process of making and distributing digital cards to vendors. Once implemented, only digitally enabled vendors will have access to platforms and trains after they punch their cards. Gradually, the system will cover all staff," said Raipur Railway Division’s Senior DCM, Avadhesh Kumar Trivedi.For passengers, this means greater transparency and ease in recognising authorised vendors.

"With digital cards, it will be simple for passengers and railway staff to distinguish genuine vendors from unauthorised ones," Trivedi explained.The integrated machine, installed at platform number 1 of Raipur station, combines biometric attendance, CCTV camera, and a breath analyser. Apart from managing vendors, it also checks whether TTEs are under the influence of alcohol before reporting for duty.Trivedi noted that while reports occasionally emerge from other parts of the country about TTEs misbehaving under the influence, investigations often find such complaints to be unfounded.

"Many times, daily commuters travelling without tickets or mischievous passengers level false allegations when caught. Such disputes escalate before senior authorities, making it difficult to establish who is correct.

This system will help prevent such situations," he said.Once fully operational, TTEs will undergo a mandatory breath test before and after duty. Their unique ID will be activated only if the test result is negative, ensuring sobriety on duty.

Portable breath analysers will also be available on trains for surprise checks.The system also includes an Aadhaar-based biometric sign-in and sign-out facility at the TTE lobby, recording attendance with thumb impressions, mobile-linked IDs, and live photographs."Previously, only loco pilots were subjected to breath analyser tests. This integrated approach brings both staff and vendors under digital monitoring. To my best knowledge, this is the first such initiative in the country. Our team is continuously working on it, and we hope to see positive results soon," Trivedi concluded.