ATM Installed Aboard Panchavati Express Train

In a first for Indian Railways, the Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express has become the country's pioneer in hosting an onboard ATM. Installed in an air-conditioned coach, the ATM allows passengers to withdraw cash even while the train is in motion.

This innovative move is part of the Indian Railways’ Innovative and Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (INFRIS) and stems from a collaboration between the Bhusawal railway division and the Bank of Maharashtra.

The trial run of the ATM was successful, with smooth operations reported across the journey—except for minor network disruptions between Igatpuri and Kasara due to signal loss in tunnels.

Divisional Railway Manager Ity Pandey confirmed the machine’s effectiveness and highlighted that the concept emerged during an INFRIS brainstorming session. “We quickly moved to execution once the idea was proposed,” she said.

While the ATM is housed in an AC coach, passengers from all 22 interconnected coaches can access it via vestibules. Besides cash withdrawals, the ATM also enables services like ordering cheque books and accessing account statements.

The facility will also be available on the Mumbai–Hingoli Jan Shatabdi Express, which shares the same rake, extending benefits to a wider group of travelers. Equipped with a shutter and CCTV monitoring, the ATM ensures round-the-clock security.

Officials hinted at a potential expansion of this feature to more trains based on passenger response. (IANS)