Waitlisted rail passengers can now get confirmed seat in the next alternative train if they opt for the option while booking their tickets online.
The new scheme called “Vikalp” will take off on Sunday in trains running on Delhi-Lucknow and Delhi-Jammu sectors on a pilot basis. At present, the scheme will be available only for the tickets booked through Internet for six months and option will be limited to Mail and Express trains on the two routes.
It will be extended to other routes as also to the reservation booking counters after getting the feedback, said an official from the Ministry of Railways.
According to the scheme, waitlisted passengers would be given option of getting confirmed accommodation in the next train running on the route. No extra charges will be levied on the passenger or any refund provided for the difference of fare.
If a passenger opts for the “Vikalp” scheme while booking tickets online, he/she will get SMS alert on mobile phone about getting confirmed accommodation in alternative train.
The name of the passenger who has been accommodated in the alternative train will not figure in the waitlisted charts of their original train, the official said, adding a separate list of passengers transferred in alternative train will be pasted along with the confirmed and waitlist charts.
Published 31 October 2015, 20:07 IST