New tatkal system from today

The new scheme has reduced the Advance Reservation Period from  two to one day excluding the day of journey from the train’s originating station. For example, if a train is to depart from the originating station on the second of the month, the Tatkal quota for that particular train shall open at 8 am on the first of the month.

Under the new system, agents or Rail Travel Service Agencies (RTSAs)  will not be allowed  to book Tatkal tickets at the counters between 8 am and  10 am on the opening day of Tatkal.

 The new system will allow booking of maximum 4 passengers. Tatkal tickets will be issued only on production of one of the eight prescribed proofs of identity. A  self-attested photocopy of the proof of identity of any one passenger should be attached to the requisition slip. 

The details of the identity proof will be indicated on the reserved tickets as well on the reservation chart. It will not be mandatory for the passenger to go to the counter to book the Tatkal ticket, however, the proof will have to be sent. 

 During the journey, passenger, whose identity card number has been indicated on the ticket, will have to produce original proof of identity indicated on the ticket, failing which all the passengers booked on the ticket shall be treated as traveling without ticket and charged accordingly. The scheme was announced last week by Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi.