The automated ticket validators at railway stations on the Sealdah section have failed to serve their purpose as most passengers are unaware of their function.

The validators were introduced to reduce queues in front of ticket counters. But a section of passengers is damaging the machines by using them wrongly, preventing others from utilising them to full advantage.

In this system, passengers have to buy coupons from ticket counters that remain valid throughout the financial year of purchase. The coupons are treated as tickets after they are punched by a validator.

“Many passengers are dropping coins into the validators, thinking that they will churn out tickets. By doing so, they are only damaging the machines,” said an official at Ultadanga railway station.

Every week, more than 200 coins are taken out from each of the validators at Ultadanga station.

“We often get complaints from commuters who have bought coupons that the ticket validators are not working. Our inspection shows that for most part of the day, the machines remain non-functional because of the coins,” said an official.

There have also been instances of commuters picking a fight with railway officials for not getting tickets after dropping coins into the gadgets.

At Dum Dum station, where the confusion seems to be at its worst, the authorities have put up a placard explaining the use of the validators.

“We were told that the system would ensure faster ticketing. But on most occasions, we fail to get the tickets punched and have to stand in the queue that we wanted to avoid,” said Sodepur resident Niladri Ghosh.

The railway authorities admitted to the problem and said they are taking steps to prevent passengers from dropping coins into the machines.

“We are making announcements over the public address system, asking passengers not to drop coins into the validators,” said Shanker Mondal, the divisional railway officer of Sealdah.