Measures for Streamlining Railway Ticketing
Indian Railways, to streamline the ticket booking system including Tatkal reservation and to check its misuse, has taken the following steps:
(i) Passengers have been given the option to book reserved tickets either through computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) terminals of Indian Railways, or through internet or through authorized agents like e-ticketing agents, Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra (YTSK) licensees.
(ii) It has now been made mandatory that for undertaking in reserved class, one of the passengers has to produce one of the prescribed proof of identity in original failing which all the passengers will be treated as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly.
(iii) A provision has been made in the computerized Passenger Reservation System(PRS) to ensure preparation of reservation charts at least four hours before scheduled departure of train and thereafter passenger can book the available accommodation through internet or across any computerized PRS center, till preparation of second reservation charts.
(iv) Surprise checks are conducted by the Commercial/Vigilance Departments to prevent and check irregularities in the reservation system.
(v) No refund is granted on cancellation of confirmed Tatkal ticket.
(vi) The facility of change of name is not permitted on the booking made under Tatkal Scheme.
(vii) The timings of opening of booking under Tatkal scheme on the opening day of reservation have been staggered to 1000 hours and 1100 hours on the previous day of journey from train originating station for AC and non-AC classes respectively.
(viii) Authorized ticketing agents have been restricted from booking Tatkal tickets during the first thirty minutes of opening of Tatkal booking i.e. from 1000 hours to 1030 hours and from 1100 hours to 1130 hours for air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned classes respectively.
(ix) Web service agents have been permitted to book only one Tatkal ticket per train per day
(x) Maximum four passengers per PNR are permitted for Tatkal Tickets. Individuals are allowed only 2 Tatkal tickets per IP Address from 1000 hours to 1200 hours and maximum number of tickets allowed to an individual user is limited to 6 per month.
(xi) CCTVs are installed at important PRS locations to monitor the activity of touts.
This Press Release is based on information given by the Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 03.08.2016 (Wednesday).