Railways have come up with a plan to keep a check on touts who procure most of the tickets, not allowing genuine passengers to book them at reservation counters.

It has decided to install palm detection scanner at reservation counters to curb the menace. Despite the special drive conducted by the railways to keep a tab on the touts at reservation centres, it has failed to check them.

As Patna Junction being the busiest station in East Central Railway (ECR), the railways have taken special care of it. Divisional railway manager (DRM), Danapur, Ramesh Kumar Jha said: "We would be able to install palm detection scanners by March 2016."

About the machine, Jha added: "Every time a passenger going at reservation centre has to give their palm print for the record. The machine would be checked regularly to check which passengers have visited the counters maximum times. Normally, genuine passengers would not visit the counter quite often except touts and authorised travel agents. By this, we would be able to differentiate between passengers and touts."

At present, Patna Junction is coping with around 350 pairs of trains everyday, including mail, express and passengers, either passing or originating from it. It is one of the most crowded junctions of ECR, which receives footfall of around 1.75 lakh every day.

On passenger amenities, Jha said Wi-Fi at Patna Junction would become functional from September 30. "The service would be free for first half an hour after which Rs 30 to Rs 35 would be charged every one hour of its use."