IT applications in IT applications in passenger businesspassenger business

B.V.L.NarayanaB.V.L.Narayana

SPTM/RSCBRCSPTM/RSCBRC

Why have IT applicationsWhy have IT applications• It applications are useful in instances

– Transactions , repetitive, large in number, avoid variations in behavior and process

– Data capture at point of interchange, large volume, repetitive and required for process execution

– Storage of large volumes of primary data, requiring manipulation and use for business decision making

Advantages of ITAdvantages of IT

• Can be a minimal human interface system with extensive standardization– Avoids variation in process, mistakes,

inconsistencies, deviations– Speed of execution– Stability and reliability of capture of data and

process– Relieves human mind occupation for higher

order decision making—contextual– Allows greater control of decentralized activities

Individual inpopulation

intention totravel

socio-economic factors

Willingnessto travel

travelmodesservices

choice ofmode

authority totravel

Informationon travelservices

Ticketingfacilities

information onfacilities at site

of meeting site of meeting of passengerand mode of travel

information oflocation of

passenger seating

Journeydetails

information aboutfacilties at

destinantion

informationabout add on

services

exit informationat destination

demographicdata

ticket ODflow data

occupationdata

consumerprefernces

data

consumersatisfaction

data

Time seriesdata cross

sectionaldata

destnationlocation

exitinformationat ticketing

Primary documentsPrimary documents• Operations

– Station register– Control charts– Train consist– CTR– Loco cards

• Customer interface– Requisition form– ticket

IT applications in passenger IT applications in passenger businessbusiness

• Major areas covered– Ticketing

• Reserved—PRS– At site– Distributed –E-ticketing

• Unreserved—UTS• Coaching refunds

– Information dissemination• Charting• NTES• Information display at stations• Web enabled public information services

– Coaching operations information system

Ticketing applicationsTicketing applications• PRS

– Started in 1985 as pilot project in Delhi– Stand alone systems on Vax machines, IMPRESS

soft ware—fortran 77, CMC– CONCERT -Country-Wide Network for Enhanced

Reservation and Ticketing introduced >1995—CRIS

– Five metros on network from 1999– Migration to Alpha VMS servers, >1500 locations– Data warehousing and web based reports

• Is a anywhere to anywhere ticket issual system with accountal

Unreserved ticketing systemUnreserved ticketing system

• UTS– Started as ARTS( Advanced railway

ticketing system) - stand alone -1993– Bangalore , CMC , PC based (EPROM run)– Extended to 500 locations over time

• CRIS developed UTS – Pilot project in Delhi area 2002– Centralized DBM driven transaction

processing system– Covers suburban and non suburban

sectors

UTS coverageUTS coverageTotal

Addition

• March 31 2008 1251• May 31 2008 1354• October 31 2008 2439 1085• March 31 2009 3451 1012• March 31 2010 6275 2824• Network –three tier architecture

– End point counters (station)—zonal server—central server –integrated UTS/PRS network structure

Integrated coaching Integrated coaching management systemmanagement system

• Punctuality module- linked to NTES– 2004, punctuality data, case analysis, web based reports– Being migrated to Intranet (FOIS) from PRS/NTES

• Coaching stock module– Capture online events on coaching stock– Web based, intranet (FOIS)

• Coaching maintenance module– 2007 – utility module for CDO

• Time table module– Maintain data on trains– Help in web enabling of time table– DSS for path estimation

Control charting applicationControl charting application• Started as pilot project

independently at multiple places– SR 1998

• Centralized software development by CRIS 2001started

• Roll out started 2005• Capture originating point of data for

all operations activities

National train enquiry National train enquiry systemsystem

• Centralized information system covering– Arrival and departures including ETA– Platform berthing of passenger trains –  Journey Planning –  Facilities available at stations –  Railway Rules .

• Conveyed through– Display Boards, Interactive Voice Response

System, Public Address System, Face to Face Enquiry, CCTV and internet

• Unix based RDBMS system, implemented 1998

Web based systemsWeb based systems

• Web based information display through web site www.indianrailway.gov.in– Implemented in 2000– all the common enquiries like Trains between a

given pair of stations, reservation availability, PNR status, Fare, Train schedule and station codes were made available

– >2million hits per day– SMS BASED INFORMATION TRANSFER SYSTEM

INTRODUCED

E and I-ticketingE and I-ticketing• Web based ticketing system

– Implemented through IRCTC– Ticketing access through user specific accounts

and payment gateways– Mediated through intermediate servers of

IRCTC– Concept of sacrosanctity of ticket removed in

e-ticketing– Empowers customer determined ticketing

activity– Being extended as adjuncts to ATMs

Information dissemination Information dissemination systemsystem

• All India telephonic enquiry system—139– Call centre based national enquiry

system– Covers all information about passenger

services and facilities at stations– Advancement on earlier IVRS based

local systems

ORGANISATIONS INVOLVEDORGANISATIONS INVOLVED• CRIS required

– to avoid duplication of efforts by individual Railways.– to ensure standardization of resources– to undertake design and development of major

applications – to insulate the organisation from day to day working of

the Railways so that its objectives are not lost sight of.– need for a combined effort of Railways and Computer

Specialists, considered best suited for the development of the computer applications on Railways.

– need for development of expertise in highly specialized fields

– need for greater flexibility to keep pace with the fast changing technology.

Directorates involvedDirectorates involved• C&IS DIRECTORATE

– Functions• C&IS is a nodal Directorate for

implementation of all projects on Indian Railways, which are charged to plan head Computerization.  

• Development of norms, standards, maintenance manuals in the area of computerization.

•  Preparation of IT plan for Indian Railways.• Coordinating training effort in IT areas

Extent of IT utilizationExtent of IT utilization• Is a function of top management

– Vision of processes being done by organisation

– Vision of utility of technology of IT– Vision of what capabilities organisation

has– Strategic vision for organisation

Uncovered areasUncovered areas• DSS systems based on data warehousing• Integration of accounting data• Capture of consumer preferences• Capture of customer satisfaction data• Need to get sectoral OD flows to

understand changing customer preferences

• Need data on competitive modes and total business dynamics

Factors affecting passenger Factors affecting passenger businessbusiness

• Rail journey attributes– Service quality– Information access– Station facilities– On board facilities and environment– Punctuality– Crowding

factors affecting passenger factors affecting passenger businessbusiness

• External factors– Economic

• Fare elasticities • Effect of journey times, frequencies• Need to change trains• Economic growth

– Demographic• Population growth• aggregations

– Competitive• Cross mode price elasticities

Thanks

any questions