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The Vande Bharat Express is a made in India high speed train and part of a modernisation drive by the Indian Railways. Image: PIB
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is working on upgrading its ticketing system to minimise waiting times for passengers.
According to reports, the upgrade has already begun and aims for completion by March 2025.
Once the upgrade is implemented, passengers will be able to book tickets online without facing waiting times after clicking "confirm," the report stated.
Additionally, it aims to resolve issues where payments are deducted but tickets are not issued.
IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Jain explained that these issues arise due to the current system’s limited capacity.
Three crore users
The high volume of online ticket bookings often exceeds the system’s capabilities, leading to such problems.
Reports also highlight that IRCTC has approximately three crore users, with over nine lakh tickets being booked online daily, both by passengers and agents. More than two crore passengers travel by train each day.
In 2023, Indian Railways planned to increase its capacity for issuing tickets from 25,000 to 2.25 lakh per minute and handling enquiries from 40,000 to 4 lakh per minute.
In a separate initiative, IRCTC has partnered with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to promote the ‘One India - One Ticket’ project.
This initiative aims to enhance passenger convenience across Indian Railways and Namo Bharat trains, offering a seamless travel solution.
Passengers can now book Namo Bharat train tickets for up to eight travellers as an add-on when booking IRCTC e-tickets. This option is available on the PNR confirmation page and through the user's booking history.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
