CHENNAI: The share of reserved ticket booking through IRCTC portal and mobile app has exceeded 65 per cent. Less than 35 per cent of reserved tickets are booked at counters. The upward trend in online ticket booking was revealed in a railway board order dated December 12.
Referring to the fall in paper ticket booking at counters, the board has ordered Southern Railway to train the Enquiry-Cum-Reservation Clerks (ECRC) for ticket checking duties.
“It has been observed that more than 65 per cent of reserved tickets are now booked through internet, which has resulted in reduction in requirement of ECRC staff. In order to optimise the human resource, where possible the ECRC staff may be engaged in ticket checking activities,” reads the board order.
Ticketing booking through IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) portal was introduced in 2005 in New Delhi - Kalka Shatabdi Express and later extended to all trains.In the initial years, only 50 per cent of the total tickets were thrown open for online booking while the rest were parked for passengers who booked the paper tickets at reservation counters. However, in late 2009 all train tickets had been allotted for online booking.
The number of passengers opting for online booking increased multiple times in the last 13 years. This is as a result of upgrade of IRCTC portal and removal of restrictions in through mobile app, official sources said.
“Before April 2017, tatkal ticket booking through mobile app was not allowed for sleeper class and payment though E-wallet was also restricted between 10 am and 10.30 am. After the ban was lifted, passengers were able to book tatkal tickets in less than 40 seconds, which ultimately reduced the chances of getting confirmed berths for passengers who book the paper tickets at counters. Thus, many had to migrate to online for tatkal bookings,” explained a senior commercial clerk.
However, IRCTC officials said the upgarde of portal with various additional features has resulted in migration of a large chunk of passengers to online booking.
“Earlier, elderly passengers had to book the tickets at counters to get lower berths. The online facility now has been upgraded to enable the elderly, disabled and single women to get lower berths. In addition, all concessional ticket bookings are also allowed through online booking,” the officer explained.