At Mumbai’s iconic CSMT, the long wait for a ticket could soon be a thing of the past—help is literally walking your way.
As per the latest pilot project at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), the Central Railway (CR) is working on easing the excruciating queues at ticket counters by deploying roaming staff equipped with handheld devices to issue tickets on the spot.
Mobile Sahayaks: Roaming Ticketing to Beat the Queues at CSMT
Names as “Mobile UTS Sahayaks”, these attendants walk through passenger holding areas, concourses and queues, issuing both long-distance and, eventually, suburban tickets through a mobile phone paired with a portable thermal printer, similar to the system used by conductors on BEST buses. Commuters can pay digitally or in cash.
At the moment, there are 3 such Sahayaks at CSMT as per the trial project, and there are plans of the Central Railways to increase the count to 15. As per the officials, this mobile attendants idea was firstly tested during the Diwali and Chhath rush to speed up the process of issuing tickets for general coaches.
As per a CR official “We have provided a mobile phone and a small ticket-printing machine to these Sahayaks, who move from person to person across the premises and issue tickets on payment of the fare”. He added that “It is presently being used for long-distance trains but can be extended to suburban locals as well.”
As per the data shared, these 3 three Sahayaks issued 12,733 tickets in just under two weeks, generating ₹20.33 lakh in revenue. Notably, CSMT alone issues 1.076 million tickets each day. This roaming staff, as per the officials, are being allowed to operate inside counters too, depending on the crowd.
Mobile UTS Sahayaks Set to Transform Ticketing Across Major Stations
CR plans to introduce Mobile UTS Sahayaks at other major stations. The system has already been launched at New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai stations.
Swapnil Nila, chief PRO, Central Railway said that “Mobile UTS assistants are another initiative by Central Railway to make ticketing easier and improve passenger convenience. We encourage commuters to use the service as it is both quick and time-saving”.
The ticketing service is operated through a contractor, who receives a 1–3% commission depending on ticket distance; the shorter the journey, the higher the percentage. Each mobile device with a Bluetooth thermal printer costs around ₹1.5 lakh and can print roughly 150 ticket rolls.
Commuter groups have responded positively to the initiative and have requested expanded coverage, including the issuance of season passes, which make up 60–65% of daily suburban ridership.
We hope with this, the journey for a ticket shrinks with every step. Until then…
Summary
Central Railway is piloting “Mobile UTS Sahayaks” at Mumbai’s CSMT to reduce ticketing queues. Roaming attendants with handheld devices and portable printers issue long-distance—and eventually suburban—tickets on the spot, accepting digital or cash payments. Early trials proved successful, with commuters responding positively and requesting expanded services, including season passes. CR plans to scale the initiative to other major stations.
