Chaos at e-ticket counter marks reopening of Pune's Shaniwarwada

PUNE: The rollout of a new paperless ticketing system by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), confusion surrounding it, as well as visitors not maintaining mask and distancing mandates, marred day one of Shaniwarwada reopening to the public.
The QR code-based ticketing process proved to be a bridge too far for many visitors and some had to return without entering Shaniwarwada.The online ticketing system only accepts debit or credit cards, e-wallets, or UPI. According to the ASI, around 200 people visited the premises on Wednesday.
“We don’t have the smartphones required to buy tickets to enter, and many other visitors from rural areas do not have that either. So what shall we do? We are prepared to pay in cash. There should be a facility to help us out,” said Hingoli resident Ratnakar Kamble, who visited Shaniwarwada with his family.
Others with smartphones complained that the scanning process failed a number of times, thus rendering the bookings incomplete.
The ASI is prepared to push ahead with the e-ticketing process, touting its benefits. However, it also added that they will start providing tokens that can be paid for with cash over the next few days.
“We have rolled out this system and now a trial is going on. Over the next few days, we will keep the option that if someone is not able to buy the ticket online, s/he can buy a token. The e-ticket facility is convenient and costs less,” said a senior ASI official.