NEW DELHI: Indian Railways has announced a significant policy shift to improve passenger convenience by preparing reservation charts for confirmed seats and berths eight hours prior to a train’s scheduled departure, replacing the current four-hour timeframe. The change, reported by ANI, aims to provide travelers with earlier clarity on their ticket status, reducing uncertainty for those with waitlisted tickets.
For trains departing before 2 p.m., the reservation chart will be finalized by 9 p.m. the previous day, according to railway officials cited by ANI. This adjustment is expected to particularly benefit passengers traveling from remote areas or suburban regions, offering them more time to confirm their ticket status or arrange alternative travel plans if needed.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to modernize the Passenger Reservation System (PRS), as reviewed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The upgraded PRS, developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), is designed to handle up to 150,000 ticket bookings per minute, a significant leap from the current capacity of 32,000. The system will also feature a multilingual, user-friendly interface to streamline booking and inquiry processes.
Additionally, starting July 1, 2025, Tatkal ticket bookings will require authentication via Aadhaar or other government-issued IDs stored in DigiLocker, with OTP-based verification to enhance security and transparency.
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This policy change reflects Indian Railways’ commitment to enhancing transparency and passenger convenience, providing travelers with more time to plan their journeys effectively.