Lok Sabha Question No. 4151 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Allocation of PRS/UTS Booking Centres
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kunduru Raghuveer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4151

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## ALLOCATION OF PRS/UTS BOOKING CENTRES

4151. SHRI KUNDURU RAGHUVEER:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  many  Railway  Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) booking centres in the country are being allotted predominantly to agents/operators who were already functioning earlier and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has examined the possibility of allotting such booking  centres  to  educated  unemployed  youth  under  a  transparent selection  process to promote self-employment and reduce unemployment and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the total number of booking centres allotted in the last five years and the criteria adopted for their allocation, year-wise; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to introduce a special scheme/youthfocused franchise model to enable wider participation of unemployed youth in railway ticketing services particularly in rural and semi-urban areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d) With a view to facilitating passengers in booking both reserved and unreserved tickets, Indian Railways has introduced various technological solutions, such  as the RailOne App, which is in addition to the  conventional  modes  of  booking  through  counters  of  Indian  Railways. Through  this  app.,  passengers  can  book  reserved  as  well  as  unreserved

tickets on mobile phone.  This, in effect, brings the Passenger Reservation System  (PRS)  facility  as  well  as  Unreserved  Ticketing  System  (UTS)  to passengers'  palm.  The  RailOne  App  has  advanced  security  and  privacy measures.

The total number of downloads of RailOne App and number of daily average tickets booked (both reserved and unreserved) through it (till 1503-2026) are tabulated below:

| Total number of downloads              | 2.57 Cr.   |
|----------------------------------------|------------|
| Average daily number of tickets booked | 7.64 Lakh  |

The App combines all the public facing services of Indian Railways like  reserved  ticketing,  unreserved  ticketing  and  platform  ticketing,  train enquiry, PNR enquiry, Railmadad, etc. into a single platform. The users can avail  all  these  services  in  integrated  manner  through  single  login.    The RailOne  App  can  be  downloaded  from  Android  Play  Store  and  Apple  App Store and registration is user friendly. In addition, passengers also have the facility to book reserved tickets through the app/website of Indian Railway Catering  and  Tourism  Corporation.  At  present  approximately  88%  of reserved tickets are being booked online.

Further, Indian Railways also engages various types of agents which are as follows:

Unreserved tickets

i. Halt agents

ii. Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sevak (JTBS)

iii. Station Ticket Booking Agents (STBA)

iv. M-UTS Sahayaks

Reserved as well as unreserved tickets

i. Yatri Tickets Suvidha Kendra Licensee (YTSKL)

In  addition,  Indian  Railway  Catering  &  Tourism  Corporation  (IRCTC) engages E-ticketing agents for issuing reserved e-tickets. There is no condition for having experience in issuing railway tickets for  getting  engaged  as  Halt  agent,  JTBS,  STBA  and  M-UTS  Sahayak.  As such,  these  schemes  are  open  to  eligible  individuals  including  educated unemployed youth and hence promote self-employment and improve access to railway ticketing facilities especially in rural and semi-urban area. Since in  addition  to  unreserved  tickets,  YTSKLs  also  issue  reserved  tickets, which require a basic  understanding of Railway Ticketing, for  YTSKLs,  a minimum of 02 years' experience in Railway Ticketing is required. Agents  are  appointed  for  a  fixed  tenure  in  accordance  with  the scheme's terms and conditions and may be terminated for any breach of those terms. Renewal of appointments and the invitation of fresh applications upon expiry of tenure is a continuous and ongoing process. *****