Description

ParkEdgeSmart is a custom-built E-Ticketing and Visitor Management Platform designed specifically for public parks, museums, and tourism centers. The system was deployed at Jay Prakash Park, Bodhgaya to modernize and digitalize its manual ticketing process. Prior to ParkEdgeSmart’s implementation, the ticket booking, entry validation, and reporting system was fully paper-based, which often led to operational delays, revenue leakage, and visitor mismanagement.

My responsibility in the project was to lead the full-stack development and deployment of the application, starting from requirement analysis to final training and support. The system was built using .NET Framework and C# for Windows-based desktops and integrated with a barcode scanner and thermal receipt printer.

Project Objectives:

The major goals of the project were:

• Eliminate manual ticketing and reduce entry-related delays.
• Automate visitor entry logging using barcodes.
• Prevent ticket fraud and duplicate entries.
• Provide real-time data to park administrators.
• Enable staff to manage entry types (Adult, Child, Foreign Tourist, Student).
• Improve daily revenue tracking and auditing.

Key Features:

1. Ticket Booking Module:

• User-friendly Windows-based desktop interface for ticket operators.
• Drop-down selection for ticket types (Adult, Child, Student, Foreign National).
• Real-time calculation of ticket fare and auto-generated totals.
• Integrated thermal printer to print barcode-based ticket slips.

2. Barcode Generation & Scanning:

• Each ticket generated with a unique barcode and timestamp.
• Barcode contains encoded data like ticket type, amount, and serial number.
• Integration with USB barcode scanner to validate tickets at entry.
• Instant alert if ticket is reused or expired.

3. Visitor Entry Validation:

• Dedicated “Entry Gate” screen for scanning tickets at the entrance.
• Live counter for total visitors entered today by category.
• Prevents duplicate entries by disabling already scanned tickets.

4. Revenue Dashboard:

• Displays total ticket sales for the day, week, and month.
• Category-wise breakdown of ticket revenue.
• Admin-only access to filter data by date and export reports.

5. Reports & Analytics:

• Exportable daily reports with ticket counts and revenue.
• Graphical view of peak hours, most visited days.
• PDF/Excel report generation with filters by category and date range.
• Audit trail for ticket cancellations and voids.

6. User Access Management:

• Admin, Operator, and Entry Staff roles.
• Permission-based control over ticket generation, cancellation, and reports.
• Activity logs for each staff member (who booked what ticket and when).

7. Cancellation and Refund Module:

• Admin-only module to cancel tickets before validation.
• Refund logging with mandatory reason entry.
• Revenue reconciliation adjusted automatically.

8. Offline Mode:

• Local database storage when server is down or no internet.
• Syncs data back to central database once network is restored.
• Ensures uninterrupted ticketing during connectivity outages.

9. System Configuration:

• Admin panel to configure ticket prices.
• Define seasonal discounts or bulk booking rates.
• Set entry timings and cut-off time for ticket booking.

10. Thermal Printer & Scanner Integration:

• Plug-and-play integration with 58mm/80mm thermal printers.
• Automatically cuts paper after ticket print.
• Fast barcode scanning (1D & 2D support) for high throughput at entry gates.

Technologies Used:

• Frontend/UI: Windows Forms (WinForms), XAML
• Backend: C#, .NET Framework 4.8
• Database: Microsoft SQL Server
• Reporting: Crystal Reports, SSRS
• Hardware Integration: USB Barcode Scanner, POS Thermal Printer
• Deployment Environment: Windows 10-based local systems
• Architecture: 3-layer architecture (UI – BLL – DAL)

Challenges & Solutions:

Challenge 1: Staff unfamiliarity with digital systems

Solution: Designed an intuitive interface resembling manual entry slips. Conducted 2-day on-site training for operators and support staff.

Challenge 2: Fake ticket entries & manual manipulation

Solution: Enforced strict barcode validation logic. Each ticket stored with hash and timestamp to prevent reuse or duplication.

Challenge 3: Printer jams and hardware driver issues

Solution: Used robust printer APIs with retry logic. Integrated fallback print mode. Documented step-by-step SOP for staff.

Challenge 4: No Internet connectivity

Solution: Enabled local mode operation with data syncing scripts to push data to the server once connection restores.

Challenge 5: Real-time monitoring not possible with manual logs

Solution: Integrated auto-refresh dashboards for admin with live visitor count and revenue stats. Deployed on secondary screen in admin office.

Project Outcome & Impact:

The implementation of ParkEdgeSmart brought several measurable improvements:

• Visitor entry time reduced by 70%, resulting in less crowding at the gate.
• Revenue leakages due to manual ticketing were completely eliminated.
• Ticket fraud was reduced by over 90%.
• Daily report preparation time for staff dropped from 45 minutes to under 5 minutes.
• Audits became transparent and easy with system logs and exported PDFs.
• Enhanced visitor experience with quicker, tech-enabled entry.
• System scaled to handle over 3,000+ entries per day during tourism season.

Conclusion:

ParkEdgeSmart became a flagship implementation of digital transformation for public spaces managed by the local authority. The e-ticketing system not only improved operational efficiency but also instilled a level of trust among the public and tourism department staff.

Its modular and scalable architecture allows it to be easily deployed in other parks, museums, or public places with minor configuration changes. The successful adoption of the system has opened discussions for future integrations such as QR code scanning through mobile devices, online ticket booking via web, and cloud-based analytics for centralized management across multiple parks.