This is an important area where IRlys can cut its costs & improve its finances in a big way. Benefits are
(1) Maintianing a large number of counters at Rly stations is a very costly affair for Indian Rlys. A lot of savings in manpower costs (the biggest financial pitfall for I Rlys) & construction & maintenance costs shall be saved
(2) public save a lot of time which is otherwise spent in queues at many a time passengers arrive station 1-2 hrs earlier to ensure that they can get unreserved ticket well...
more... before departure of train.
(3) Crowding at Rly stns shall be drastically reduced. Also better cleanliness, less pick pocketing etc shall be there.
IRlys should promote online transactions by giving incentives like easy refunds, nominal discounts like the online trading companies give. Involvement of private sector in most of the activities other than hard core rly operation & maintenance (including ones amenable to automation/computerization) should be beneficial both in terms of improvement in working as well as cost cutting. Station cleanliness has improved drastically after involvement of pvt. Sector and also saving has been achieved by IRlys.