New railway waiting list, OTP, reservation rules take effect from today: Details
Complaints are rife that passengers on the waiting list enter the sleeper and AC compartments and forcefully occupy the seats of passengers who have confirmed tickets.
Complaints are rife that passengers on the waiting list enter the sleeper and AC compartments and forcefully occupy the seats of passengers who have confirmed tickets.
Complaints are rife that passengers on the waiting list enter the sleeper and AC compartments and forcefully occupy the seats of passengers who have confirmed tickets.
Indian Railways has introduced new booking rules and guidelines to enhance the comfort and enjoyment of train journeys. The new rules aim to provide excellent facilities to the passengers, prevent misuse of booking facilities and promote digital transactions. These are some of the latest rules and regulations that will take effect today.
No waiting list
Passengers often board the train with tickets that are still on the waiting list. However, passengers holding waiting list tickets will not be allowed to travel in sleeper and AC coaches, from May 1 onwards. The TTE will have the right to impose hefty fines on such persons and to move him/her to the general compartment. Captain Shasi Kiran, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the North Western Railway said that this rule has been enforced to ensure comfortable travel for the passengers who board the train with confirm tickets.
Complaints are rife that passengers on the waiting list enter the sleeper and AC compartments and forcefully occupy the seats of passengers who have confirmed tickets. Besides, the number of wait-listed passengers has also increased, causing discomfort to other passengers. These have been cited as the reasons why wait-listed passengers would be denied entry in the sleeper and AC coaches.
OTP mandatory for ticket booking
To prevent the misuse of ticket reservation facilities by agents, passengers booking tickets via the IRCTC portal and the booking app must provide an OTP. Before entering the payment gateway, the passenger should verify their mobile number using a one–time password. This rule applies to all users, including those who are already registered. It will ensure that a real passenger and not an agent is booking the ticket.
90-day reservation window
The reservation period for booking tickets has been reduced from 120 days to 90 days. This allows passengers to book tickets only 90 days in advance. The new rule is likely to improve the scheduling and usage of trains.
Refund in two days
In the event of cancellation, the ticket price will be refunded within two days. Previously, the refund took 5–7 days. The passenger will receive the refund amount in their account within two days after cancelling the ticket. This rule applies to both online bookings and counter bookings that are directly linked to bank accounts. The latest regulations and guidelines have been implemented to enhance the safety and efficiency of train journeys.