The Railways on Wednesday launched many passenger friendly services, including a flexible Tatkal service even planning a refund facility, augmentation of volume of tickets on IRCTC website and extension of e-catering services to over 1,000 trains from present 200. It also announced renaming of Premium trains as Suvidha Trains which too will have a refund facility in case of cancellation of booked tickets.
To ease pressure during peak hours, Railways has decided for two different time slabs for booking of tatkal tickets with reservations in AC class, from 10 am to 11 am and non-AC class, from 11 am to 12noon. The new tatkal booking schedule will come into effect in the next couple of days. It is also thinking of giving refund on cancellation of tatkal tickets, the percentage of which would be calculated based on a time frame.
Announcing the changes in timing of tatkal bookings for AC and non-AC classes, Railway Board Member (Traffic) Ajay Shukla said the measures were taken to ensure “fast service while booking online and reducing passenger rush at the counters”. Besides, Shukla said Railways are also planning for a refund on cancellation of tatkal tickets. “We are considering refunding certain percentage. We will have a time frame and if a passenger refunds within the time frame, he will be refunded accordingly,” he said. At present, no such facility is available, making such services unpopular among a segment of the customers.
Refunds will also be available on cancellations of tickets of premium trains and such refunds would go “up to 50 per cent”. The national transporter also decided to rechristen premium trains as “Suvidha” trains with an overhaul in the fare structure, cancellations and bookings. During an interaction with the media, the official also said the IRCTC website which recently registered three crore hits in a day slowing the portal in the process and thus capacity augmentation has been done with 14,000 tickets per minute.
The IRCTC also identified 1,144 more trains for extension of its e-catering service, which allows passengers to get the food of their choice from leading food chains delivered to their seat via online or SMS booking. At present, the service is available on 201 trains.