Lok Sabha Question No. 5161 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Rail Ticket Reservation System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5161 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2017

## RAIL TICKET RESERVATION SYSTEM

†5161. SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  introduced  changes  in  railway reservation system;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof and the objectives behind this step;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  lifted  the  restrictions  on  giving tickets for short distance journey in Sleeper and AC coaches of long distance trains; and
- (d)  if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  5161  BY  SHRI  RAGHAV  LAKHANPAL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.04.2017 REGARDING RAIL

TICKET RESERVATION SYSTEM

(a) & (b):  With a view to facilitating passengers in getting reserved accommodation, optimal utilisation of available accommodation and also  to  increase  transparency  in  the  computerised  Passenger Reservation  System  (PRS)  on  Indian  Railways,  changes  are  made from  time  to  time  based  on  the  feedback.  Some  of  the  changes made in recent past are as under:

- i. 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 PRS counters.
- ii. Revision  of  Refund  Rules  by  notifying  revised  Railway Passengers  Cancellation  of  Ticket  and  Refund  of  Fare Rules, 2015.
- iii. Provision for transferring the vacant accommodation available at the time of preparation of second reservation chart to the next remote location for booking.
- iv. Dissemination  of  information  to  passenger  through  SMS about change  in passenger's reservation status from waiting list to RAC or waiting list/RAC to confirmed or in case of cancellation of trains.
- v. Provision  for  granting  automatic  refund  for  e-tickets  in case of cancellation of the trains.
6. vi.
7. Facilitating  passengers  holding  confirmed/RAC/waitlisted PRS  counter  tickets  to  cancel  the  tickets  within  the

permitted time limit under Railway Passengers Cancellation  of  Ticket  and  Refund  of  Fare  Rules,  2015, through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)  website  (www.irctc.co.in)  or  through  139.  The permissible refundable amount can be collected on surrendering original PRS  counter tickets within the prescribed time limit.

- vii. Giving  facility  to  waitlisted  passengers  of  a  train  to  give option  under  'VIKALP'  scheme  for  shifting  to  alternate train of any category on the same route without realisation  of  any  difference  of  fare  or  grant  of  refund thereon.
2. (c)  &  (d):      Zonal  Railways  have  been  advised  to  withdraw  the distance restriction in reserved class of Mail Express Trains and to book reserved tickets as per defined pooled quota / remote location quotas  etc.  No  change  has,  however,  been  made  in  case  of unreserved  second  class  where  Zonal  Railways  shall  continue  to take decision on this account keeping in view the demand pattern.

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