JOIN USThe Indian Railways has introduced guidelines to streamline ticket delivery under the “tatkal” scheme. Starting Tuesday, the guidelines will help overcome the menace of touts cornering tatkal tickets meant for general passengers.
According to railway officials, such tickets will be issued at all computerised reservation centres and unreserved ticketing counters between 10 am and 10:30 am for trains running the next day.
“Tatkal ticket bookings will start at 10 am one day before the journey date, instead of 8 am as had been followed earlier,” a railway ministry official said.
“Even authorised agents, including those of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation or the Rail Travel Service Agent, will not be allowed to book tatkal tickets from 10 am to noon, neither at counters nor online,” the official said. The guidelines were introduced after thousands of passengers across the country complained about touts exploiting loopholes in the tatkal scheme. Every local level railway administration in the country is making arrangements at reservation centres to implement the guidelines.
“The local railway administration concerned will segregate tatkal ticket buyers into separate queues and counters as per the requirement,” said a Northern Railway official.
The railways is also taking other measures to check touts from exploiting the scheme again.
“CCTVs will be installed at all major reservation centres to monitor unusual activities, and senior officials will regularly inspect these centres. We will also display helpline numbers and vigilance squads will keep tabs on booking centres to prevent misuse of tatkal facility,” said a railway official.