Long queues at ticket counters will be a thing of past, with the railway ministry proposing to increase the number of automatic ticket vending machines from the existing 250 to 6,000 in the next two years.

The ministry also plans to increase the number of unreserved ticketing system counters from 3,000 to 15,000 in the next two years besides exploring the option of issuing reserved and unreserved tickets through mobile phones.

These announcements were made by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav during the presentation of Rail Budget in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Riding on a multi-pronged strategy of using information technology as the 'lever to permanently terminate long queues' in the next two years, he said, "Passengers would now be able to purchase railway tickets sitting at home on their computers, through mobile phones, through counters in their own neighbourhood or automatic ticket vending machines at stations."

The Jansadharan Ticket Booking Seva will be extended to all zonal railways, which Yadav said would provide employment to thousands of unemployed youth besides facilitating easy availability of tickets.

Railways also plans to extend the facility of e-ticket to waitlisted passengers, he said noting that the move would help the number of passengers availing the facility is expected to increase from one lakh to three lakhs in next one year.

Taking cue from the growth of mobile telephoning in the country, Yadav said the Railways is exploring the option of issuing reserved and unreserved tickets through mobile phones.

• Railway Budget 2008-09: Complete Coverage