Chennai: Southern Railway will provide laminated covers along with paper season tickets to prevent printed details from fading, following complaints from suburban commuters who said their tickets became illegible within days.Southern Railway ADRM (Additional Divisional Railway Manager) I Senthil Kumar said the move was aimed at addressing the problem caused by thermal printing. “The thermal printing is the reason why the letters fade. In order to solve the issue, we have come up with a decision to provide laminated covers along with the season tickets. This will make it easier for commuters to keep the tickets without worrying about the fading of the letters,” he said.Unlike conventional printers that use ink, thermal printers produce text by applying heat to a heat-sensitive coating on the ticket paper. The printed image can deteriorate when exposed to heat, sunlight, moisture, friction and prolonged handling. The laminated cover is expected to act as a protective barrier, reducing abrasion and moisture-related damage and helping preserve details such as the passenger’s name, journey stations and validity period.Around 40% of suburban commuters use season tickets, according to railway data. Southern Railway issues season tickets valid for one month, three months, six months and one year.The move follows complaints from commuters, including a private college student who was fined ₹510 after details on her monthly season ticket faded within a week, leaving only its serial number visible. She had purchased the ₹185 ticket to travel between Pattabiram and Chennai Central.Rail Passengers Association Pattabiram president A Roy Rosario welcomed the decision. “It is a welcome move. Southern Railway officials should implement it at the earliest. Every day, hundreds of passengers go through this hassle of being fined despite holding a valid season pass,” he said.
