CHENNAI: In yet another passenger friendly move, the Indian railways has decided to allow the change of boarding point of train before preparation of the first chart - four hours before departure of the train. Apart from the general reserved tickets, the facility will provide enable the change of boarding point even for tatkal ticket holders. The move aimed at providing relief to passengers who could not board the trains at originating stations in case of an emergency or during some impromptu situations.
The passengers who hold paper tickets, can change their boarding point submitting written request at the train originating station and those who booked e-tickets, will be allowed to change their boarding point through the IRCTC portal before preparation of the first chart, which means four hours before the departure of the train.
“The passengers can also call 139 to change the boarding point before preparation of the chart. After changing the boarding location, if the passenger wants to travel from the old boarding point, he or she will be allowed travel without any additional fare only if the berth/seat is not allocated to any other passenger,” said the railway board directive issued to IRCTC dated March 15.
The Apex body of Indian Railways has directed the Centre of Railway Information System (CRIS), an IT support wing of IRCTC, to incorporate the changes in the IRCTC portal before May 1. The new facility will also enable the Tatkal ticket holders to change the boarding location. “Presently, passengers are allowed to change the boarding point either through the IRCTC portal or by submitting a written request at the station 48 hours before the departure of the train.
So Tatkal ticket holders were not given an option for changing the boarding point. Now, even they can change the boarding location,” a senior official from IRCTC told Express. The move is expected to provide huge relief for passengers who reside in the outskirts of metro cities in India, given that majority of station areas including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkota, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad get congested during evening hours.
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A senior official told Express: “During festivals or weekends, all the cities witness huge traffic snarls. As a result, demand for additional stoppages in en-route stations and develop-ment of new terminals also rise. The move will now reduce the demand for passengers to reach the train’s originating point.”