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KSRTC's AWATAR
Vasanth - 26 June, 2008 | Infrastructure | Bangalore | KSRTC
Whenever I try to book a ticket on the KSRTC's website online, it always says 'Server Busy'. This was inagurated grandly by KSRTC to show that they are capable just like Indian Railways, but, their franchisees KSRTC Booking Counters were worried. To make the booking only through Franchisees and have online booking for namesake, whenever you login to KSRTC website with your login, you will get a server busy 'clean message'. This is not from the server, but from a very good responsive page with delibrate message - Not any HTTP 500 or any other message.
But, if you go to online KSRTC franchisee counter, he will open the same page, click on special franchisee link and book the ticket for you. This is the 'AWATAR' of the AWATAR software.
Why KSRTC despite of having a online booking software, after inagurating in a grand ceremony, is not allowing people to use the facility? It is just a 'Franchisee Lobby'. It so convenient to book online compared to go to franchisee, wait for long queue and then buy the ticket.
KSRTC will loose its customers since other bus operators like Sharma, Raj National Express etc have online booking facility directly or through www.redbus.in or www.iticket.in .
COMMENTS
My experience with Awatar
s_yajaman - 27 June, 2008 - 05:43
Vasanth,
Bang on. In fact they have a small note that tells you to try and book only after 9:00 p.m.
I once made a booking from Madras to Bangalore (against my better instincts) on Awatar. After taking all my details including credit card, it finally gave a booking error. I gave up. After a couple of months I found that my credit card had been charged.
I wrote to KSRTC and showed them my charge and my booking history that had no bookings. I got back a refund in 15 days. At least that worked.
Srivathsa
back to the same point
murali772 - 27 June, 2008 - 08:39
It all comes back to the point I have been trying to make for decades together now.
The common man generally has the picture of a businessman as a fly-by-night operator, unworthy of his trust. Admittedly, there have been enough reasons for that. And, that's why he wants the government to do everything for him.
But, what has happened over the years is that not only is the government not in a position to build its capacity to cater to these varied needs, but also it is progressively beginning to get hijacked by various lobbies to serve their vested interests, obviously in collusion with the babu-neta combo.
Simultaneously, the businessman has evolved into a corporate entity with a certain brand identity, which he will do everything to safeguard lest his standing in the market drop below comfortable levels. This market mechanism is certainly not quite perfect, but has atleast helped throw up enough business houses who can today be relied upon to take on the erstwhile government roles. I would even go to the extent of saying that services such as public bus transport, power supply are too vital infrastructure services not to have the benefit of their management skills and technical expertise.
Muralidhar Rao
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