What is the Process of Paying for Travel?

We usually travel by bus, car, auto-rickshaw, cycle, motorbike, scooter or train from one place to another. We have to pay for all public means of transport which are either owned by the government or private owners. When you travel with your parents in a bus, you might have noticed that your parents pay some money to the conductor of the bus. After getting the money, the conductor gives a ticket in which the distance, the amount paid and the date of travel are mentioned.

If you go to the railway station to see-off or receive someone, you have to take a ticket to enter the platform. This ticket is called platform ticket. Today, the price of platform ticket is ₹10/-.

When you travel by train, for short distances you buy a general ticket. For long distances, you book a reserve ticket in advance. Train tickets are issued by the railway ticket counters. A reservation ticket has the following information.

1. Name of the train
2. PNR No. and Train No.
3. Date of travel
4. Distance in kilometres
5. From and To
6. Amount paid
7. Seat number and coach
8. Time of departure and arrival

While travelling in a train, the TTE (Travellers Ticket Examiner) comes to check the ticket. The ticket collector is appointed by the railways. A TTE normally checks the ticket in the train. However, he can also check a person’s ticket on the railway platform.

We need money for travel. So, when you travel, there arises a need to know about our currency and its value. Let us now learn about currency.

Indian Currency

The Reserve Bank of India manages the currency in India. Indian currency is made of paper banknotes and metal coins. Every country has its own currency. The currency of India is Rupee (INR) and paisa.

Coins

Coins up to 50 paisa are called small coins and coins of one rupee and above are called rupee coins.

Nowadays, small coins are out of circulation and therefore not used. Symbol of Lion (Seen on the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath) is found on most of the coins. The symbol represents peace and non- violence. The corn sheaf represents the progress and prosperity of our country. Many people are fond of collecting old coins. They depict the lifestyle and culture of the people of the past. We can see such coins in the museum.

Specification of Current Indian Currency Notes

Language

In each banknote, the amount is written in 17 languages. English and Hindi on the front and 15 other on the reverse which shows the diverse culture of our country. The numerical value of the note appears in the centre and on the sides.

Security of Our Currency Notes

• Watermark: On the plain (without print) portion of the note there is a watermark of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Security thread: All notes have a silver security band with inscriptions visible when held against light.
• Latent image: Notes of high denominations display the note’s denominational value in numerals when held horizontally at eye level.
• Microlettering: Numeral denominational value is visible under magnifying glass between security-thread and watermark.
• Serial Number: Every note has a serial number.
• The bottom corner has the National Emblem of India. It consists of four lions facing in the four directions.

Lalit’s Journey

Today, Lalit attended the school after a week- long vacation. He had gone to Nepal. His father had reserved the tickets in advance. They hired a taxi and reached the airport. They paid three hundred rupees to the taxi driver. They went to the counter and took the boarding pass. They carried their luggage on a trolley. Their luggage was checked and tagged by electronic machines and taken to the aircraft. They checked-in and walked towards the aircraft

Lalit was very excited to sit in an aeroplane. The air hostess greeted the passengers and explained them some safety measures. Soon they were in the clouds. Lalit saw out of the window. He saw a magnificent view. There were buildings, fields and rivers- everything looked so tiny.

In a few hours, they reached Kathmandu. It is the capital of Nepal. The climate there was cold. They hired a room in a hotel. The next day, they left for sight seeing. The tourist bus charged two hundred rupees for each member. They visited all the famous places. They saw snow-covered mountains and beautiful valleys. They also went to Pokhra and Chitwan forest. They enjoyed boating in the lake by paying fifty rupees. They paid five hundred rupees to the mahout for a ride on the elephant inside the forest.