After recent changes made by IRCTC to the Tatkal ticket booking process, Indian Railways has now implemented a major change regarding waiting list tickets. From now on, Railways will issue waiting list tickets for only up to 25% of the total seats available in all categories of a train – including AC First Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, and Chair Car. Importantly, this limit excludes tickets under quota categories such as Divyang (disabled), senior citizens, and others. The aim is to protect passengers from the uncertainty of not getting confirmed tickets.
Why Has This Decision Been Taken?
According to railway officials, typically 20%-25% of waiting list tickets get confirmed before the journey. Based on a circular issued by the Railway Board, all zonal railways have started implementing this new rule. Officials explained that earlier, a large number of passengers with waiting list tickets would board reserved coaches, leading to overcrowding and inconvenience for those with confirmed tickets. This decision is aimed at reducing uncertainty for passengers after booking.
What Was the Previous Rule?
As per the January 2013 guidelines, Railways used to issue waiting list tickets up to:
- 30 for AC First Class,
- 100 for AC 2 Tier,
- 300 for AC 3 Tier, and
- 400 for Sleeper Class.
Under the new policy, each zonal railway will now determine the waiting list limit based on booking and cancellation patterns. A senior Western Railway officer said that earlier, the mismatch between confirmed tickets and actual boarding passengers caused inconvenience. The new system aims to provide a better travel experience.
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How Are ‘Available Berths’ Calculated?
‘Available berths’ refer to seats left for general booking after allocating quotas for senior citizens, women, foreign tourists, and differently-abled passengers. For example, if 400 berths remain after quota allotment, then a maximum of 100 waiting list tickets can be issued (i.e., 25%). In the current system, excess waiting list tickets create problems during peak seasons like Diwali and Chhath. Under the new policy, only 25% of available berths per coach can be issued as waiting list tickets.
Where Will the New Rule Apply?
A senior official told TOI that this new rule will be applied across all seat categories, including Tatkal and remote location bookings. However, this limit will not apply to concessional fare tickets or government warrant bookings. A circular issued by Western Railway stated that the rule will be implemented through software changes by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems), and the official implementation date will be announced soon.