Lok Sabha Question No. 3210 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-14
Subject: Modernisation of Ticketing System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SRIRAM MALYADRI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3210

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2018

## MODERNISATION OF TICKETING SYSTEM

3210. SHRI MALYADRI SRIRAM:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Railways  is  satisfied  with  the  system  of ticketing  and  fare  collection  in  vogue  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Railways  is  aware  that  touts  and  other unscrupulous elements have dented the ticketing mechanism and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Railways proposes to modernise/transform  the existing ticketing infrastructure and  promote  the  current practice  of  e-tickets  on  mobile,  tablets  and  other  IT  enabled services in a big way;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  funds  likely  to incurred for the purpose; and
- (e)  the  time  by  which  the  new  mechanism  is  likely  to  be introduced?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3210 BY SHRI MALYADRI SRIRAM TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 14.03.2018 REGARDING MODERNISATION OF TICKETING SYSTEM.

(a): Yes, Madam. Indian Railways provide computerized PRS (Passenger  Reservation  System)  and  UTS  (Unreserved  Ticketing System) counters at various locations. In addition to ticket counters, reserved tickets can be booked online and through Mobile App. Similarly, unreserved tickets can be booked through Automatic Ticket Vending Machines, Mobile phone as well as ticket booking  counters.  Indian  Railways  have  also  authorized  following ticketing agents to issue Railway tickets:

- i. Jan  Sadharan  Ticket  Booking  Sewaks  (JTBS)  to  issue unreserved tickets in various parts of important cities.
- ii. Yatri  Ticket  Suvidha  Kendra  (YTSK)  licencee  to  issue reserved as well as unreserved tickets through computerised  Passenger  Reservation  System  (PRS)-cumUnreserved Ticketing System (UTS) terminals provided in their premises.
- iii. Station Ticket Booking Agents (STBA) to issue unreserved tickets  from  station  premises  of  certain  'E'  category stations.
- iv. Rail  Travellers'  Service  Agents  (RTSAs)  to  book  tickets online  (both  i  and  e-tickets)  through  website  of  Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
- v. E-ticketing agents authorised by IRCTC to book e-tickets through website of IRCTC.
- vi. Facilitators,  who  are  retired  Railway  personnel,  to  issue unreserved tickets to the general public through Automatic Ticket Vending Machines(ATVMs).

Aforesaid steps have been taken for improving the ticketing system further and to facilitating hassle-free issuing of tickets to passengers.

(b):  During the checks, instances of attempt to misuse reservation system  do  come  to  notice  particularly  during  peak  rush  periods. With a view to keeping a check on the activities of unscrupulous elements including touts and unauthorised ticketing agents and to making  general  public  aware  of  the  implication  of  purchasing tickets from unscrupulous elements various steps have been taken which include streamlining of reservation system, making it more transparent, imparting information relating to availability of current status  of  reservation,  increased  digitization,  conducting  checks etc., the details of which are as follows:

- i. Restriction  on  agents  on  booking  of  tickets  during  first  thirty minutes of opening of Advance  Reservation Period (ARP) booking and Tatkal booking.
- ii. Condition of carrying one of the prescribed proofs of identity in original during journey by any one of the passengers booked on the ticket.
- iii. Automatic  preparation  of  reservation  charts  at  least  4  hours before  scheduled  departure  of  train  and  thereafter  booking  of available  accommodation  through  internet  as  well  as  through computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters.
- iv. Making provision in the PRS system to transfer vacant available accommodation after preparation of second reservation chart to next remote location.
- v. Introduction of Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme (ATAS) known as 'VIKALP'  for  providing  confirmed  accommodation  to waitlisted passengers and also to ensure optimal utilization of available accommodation.
6. Modification of Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund  of  Fare)  Rules  to  discourage  speculative  booking  of
- vi. tickets.
8. vii.
9. Provision of CCTVs at important PRS locations.
- viii. Only  one  booking  in  one  user  login  session  except  for  return/ onward journey between 0800 and 1200 hours.
- ix. Provision of CAPTCHA in the booking page of e-ticket/i-ticket on the IRCTC website to check use of scripting tools by unscrupulous elements for cornering of tickets.
- x. Introduction  of  a  time  check  of  35  seconds  for  completion  of online  booking  of  tickets  to  avoid  misuse  through  use  of scripting software.
- xi. Making  One  Time  Password  (OTP)  mandatory  for  payment  of tickets booked online.
- xii. Conducting joint as well as independent checks by Commercial, Vigilance & Security Departments to curb the activities of touts.
- xiii. Touts so apprehended taken up as per provisions of Law.
- xiv. Intensification of checks during peak rush and festival periods. Touts  and  unauthorized  vendors  apprehended  and  prosecuted as per provision of section 143 & 144 of the Railways Act, 1989.
- xv. Supplementing  checks  conducted  at  Reservation  Offices  by checks on the train to detect the cases of transferred reserved tickets i.e. persons found travelling fraudulently against accommodation  actually  reserved  in  the  name  of  another passenger.
- xvi. Conducting checks in booking offices, reservation offices, trains etc.  to curb malpractices by Railway staff in connivance with touts.    Stringent  action  taken  against  the  railway  staff  under Disciplinary and Appeal Rules, if found indulging in malpractices.
- xvii. Deployment  of  RPF  staff  at  important  Passenger  Reservation System (PRS) Centers to prevent touting activities.
- xviii. Surveillance  is  kept  on  the  possible  activities  of  touts  and unauthorised vendors through Close Circuit Television Cameras installed at important Railway Stations.
- xix. Taking  action  against  illegal  users  of  online  e-ticketing  under provision of section 143 of Railways Act, 1989.
- xx. Educating  general  public  through  Public  Address  System  and media, not to buy tickets from touts/unscrupulous elements and consequences of buying tickets from these sources.
- xxi. Installation of Point of Sale (POS) machines in association with State Bank of India at various locations of Indian Railways i.e. PRS locations, UTS locations, Parcel/Goods locations.
- xxii. Withdrawal of service charges applicable on transactions against  credit/debit  cards  for  purchasing  journey  tickets  at Unreserved  Ticketing  System  (UTS)/  Passenger  Reservation System (PRS) counters.
- xxiii. Acceptance of international Credit/ Debit cards issued outside India for booking of e-tickets through IRCTC website.
- xxiv. Informing passengers about change in their reservation status in  the  case  of  Waiting  list/RAC  to  confirmed,  cancellation  of trains, delayed running of train for more than one hour through SMS.
- xxv. Granting of refund automatically to e-ticket holders in the case of cancellation of trains.
- xxvi. Provision of facility of cancellation of confirmed/RAC/ waitlisted PRS counter tickets through IRCTC website (www.irctc.co.in) or through 139.

Whenever  any  case  of  irregularity  committed  by  authorized ticketing agent comes to notice, suitable action as per provision of the agreement/rule is taken. Such instances generally occur during peak rush period when demand exceeds supply.

(c) to (e): Indian Railways have taken various steps with a view to modernising the ticketing process like launching of Next Generation e-ticketing system with increased server capacity, implementation of  multi  layer  security  comprising  Frontend  and  Backend  Firewall, Web Application Firewall  etc.  Further,  for  promoting  booking  of  eticket  various  steps  have  been  taken  viz.  acceptance  of  various cashless modes of payment such as net banking, credit debit cards, cash  cards  and  e-wallets;  withdrawal  of  service  charge  on  online booking of tickets from 23.11.2016 (till 31.03.2018), acceptance of Short  Message Service sent  by IRCTC and screen shot of e-ticket displayed through laptops/palmtops/mobile phones in lieu of Electronic Reservation Slip for travel on trains.

Further, following works have been sanctioned for modernization of ticketing system:

-  Modernization  of  Passenger  Reservation  System  has  been sanctioned  at  a  cost  of ₹ 109.44  crores  in  2017-18.    It  will facilitate  capability  to  handle  higher  number  of  transactions per second.
-  Modernisation of Unreserved Ticketing System  has  been sanctioned at a cost of ₹ 180.94 crores in 2017-18. It will cater to  the  growth  in  future  in  terms  of  number  of  transactions, terminals  and  locations.    The  existing  hardware  which  has reached  end  of  life  will  be  replaced  with  latest  technology equipments.

However,  upgradation/modernisation  of  ticketing  system  is  a continuous and ongoing process.

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