Tatkal Booking capacity Doubled on IRCTC’s upgraded Website

New Delhi: Railways food catering and tourism promotion firm, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), on Friday said that it has upgraded its website by introducing two high capacity servers that have doubled peak time efficiency.

According to the IRCTC, its portal installed two Linux-enabled servers on June 1, 2015 raising the booking capacity to over 14,000 tickets per minute from the existing 7,200.

IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director A.K. Manocha said the capacity augmentation has been done as an “immediate step” to cater to the summer time demand for tatkal tickets and a forenoon flurry in their online reservations.

“The measure is vital, considering that 54 percent train tickets in the country are booked through IRCTC website,” Manocha cited.

On an average the daily sale of train tickets through the portal, which is the world’s second busiest with three crore registered users, is around 5.5 to 6 lakh.

The 16-year-old ‘mini Ratna’ public sector undertaking of the Indian Railways had introduced e-ticketing in 2002 through its digital platform.

Public Accounts Committee raps Railways over Tatkal Tickets

New Delhi: Slamming Railway’s move to sell half of its tatkal tickets under dynamic pricing, a Parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended reducing the premium on such tickets to a “minimum essential level” as the system was “legitimizing inequality”.

“It is high time railways institutionalize the concerns of the poor. The committee would, therefore like the ministry to reduce premium on tickets of Tatkal reservation to a minimum essential level,” the Public Accounts Committee on railways said in its report tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

It observed that those who can afford to pay premium as well as those who have access to Internet are getting their confirmed berths without any hassles whereas those who cannot are not getting the tickets.

The panel also felt that the percentage of advanced reservation is enhanced and that tatkal reservation should be reduced to a feasible and sustainable level in the greater interest of the travelling public.

“The system was legitimising inequality,” the committee said.

The committee also suggested that a certain quota restriction should be put on ticket reservation bookings by internet so as to provide a better equitable opportunity for the poor, disadvantaged and deprived classes of society having no access to internet, thus making them available the benefit of ticket reservation in a more fair and just manner.

Taking serious note of 24 Rail Travellers Service Agents (RTSA) operating without furnishing any license fee, security deposits and without any liability, the committee recommended an appropriate enquiry against the officials responsible and disciplinary proceedings against them.

These RTSAs are operating from railway premises on the basis of injunction of the Calcutta High Court given 27 years ago.

“The committee, therefore, desires details of the measures taken in chronological order to get the stay vacated and steps being taken presently to remedy the situation.”

It felt that such blatant flouting of norms may not be possible without the connivance of local railway officials and sought disciplinary action against officials responsible for flouting norms.

2014/11/6

11-11-2014

Implementation of 50% Tatkal Tickets on Dynamic Pricing in another 5 CR trains w.e.f. 15.11.2014

Central Railway Press Release

50% TATKAL TICKETS ON DYNAMIC PRICING

Ministry of Railways have decided that 50% of the existing tatkal quota tickets shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme. After booking of the first 50% of tatkal tickets under tatkal quota, the subsequent 50% tatkal tickets will be sold o­n dynamic pricing.  The fare shall increase by 20% after each slab of 10% berths are sold subject to the existing cap (maximum fare chargeable) o­n dynamic fare. 

This scheme is further implemented in following 5 trains of Central Railway with effect from 15.11.2014.  

1. 11013 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Coimbatore Express

2. 16345 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Thiruvananthapuram Netravati Express 

3. 12542 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Gorakhpur Super Fast Express

4. 12167 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus - Varanasi Super Fast Express

5. 12137 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai - Firozpur Punjab Mail

All concerned to please take note of this and avail the facility.

50% TATKAL QUOTA ON DYNAMIC PRICING IN 5 MORE WESTERN RAILWAY TRAINS

50% Tatkal Quota at Dynamic Pricing scheme shall now be implemented in  5 more trains which originating from Western Railway.

It has been decided previously by Ministry of Railways, that 50% of the existing tatkal quota shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme. After booking of the 50% of the tatkal quota under Tatkal scheme, the subsequent 50% of the tatkal quota, defined as premium tatkal quota shall be sold o­n dynamic pricing.

The following additional WR trains now have facility of 50% Tatkal Quota at Dynamic Pricing w.e.f. 3rdNovember,2014(i.e. for trains departing ex originating station o­n 04/11/2014)  -

·12955 Mumbai Central-Jaipur Express

·12216 Bandra Terminus-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Garib Rath Express

·12833 Ahmedabad-Howrah Express

·12655 Ahmedabad-Chennai Central Navjeevan Express

·12919 Indore-Jammu Tawi Malwa Express

Introduction of premium tatkal quota with dynamic pricing a success: Railways

Mumbai:  The Railways claims the introduction of premium tatkal quota with dynamic pricing this month has been a success.

In some cases, the ticket rates doubled under the system that was introduced to cash in on the festive rush this month and eliminate touts, who were observed to be charging a premium in the peak season.

The system came into effect on October 3.

“The fares have risen by 100 per cent over the past few days because of the festive rush,” a Western Railway official said. “On non-peak days, people can find vacant berths four to five hours before departure.”

Tatkal bookings open a day in advance, at 10 am at booking offices and on e-ticketing websites.

On WR, nine trains follow the system and on CR, five trains.

“Trains like Howrah Mail, Mahanagari Express, Dadar-Chennai Express have seen 100% increase in fare,” a CR official said.”

In Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, the fares for II and III tier AC touched Rs 7,200 and Rs 6,000 in the festive rush. Borivli resident Rajesh Vyas said passengers did not benefit much with the system as touts were still doing brisk business, but Kandivli resident Anjali Menon said it was a good move.

50% Tatkal Tickets on Dynamic Pricing in another 5 trains of Central Railway from 19.10.2014

                  2014/10/16

16-10-2014

50% Tatkal Tickets on Dynamic Pricing in another 5 trains of Central Railway from 19.10.2014

50% TATKAL TICKETS ON DYNAMIC PRICING

Ministry of Railways have decided that 50% of the existing tatkal quota tickets shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme. After booking of the first 50% of tatkal tickets under tatkal quota, the subsequent 50% tatkal tickets will be sold on dynamic pricing.The fare shall increase by 20% after each slab of 10% berths are sold subject to the existing cap (maximum fare chargeable) on dynamic fare. 

This scheme is further implemented in following 5 trains of Central Railway with effect from 19.10.2014.  

1. Train No : 12859 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus - Howrah Geetanjali Express

2. Train No :11019 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus - Bhubaneshwar Konark Express 

3. Train No :12149 Pune - Patna Express

4. Train No :12322 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus - Howrah Kolkata Mail

5. Train No :12163 Dadar (T) - Chennai Central Super fast Express

All concerned to please take note of this and avail the facility.

50% of Tatkal Quota tickets Under dynamic fare scheme

50% TATKAL TICKETS ON DYNAMIC PRICING

Ministry of Railways have decided that 50% of the existing tatkal quota tickets shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme. After booking of the first 50% of tatkal tickets under tatkal quota, the subsequent 50% tatkal tickets will be sold o­n dynamic pricing.  The fare shall increase by 20% after each slab of 10% berths are sold subject to the existing cap (maximum fare chargeable) o­n dynamic fare.

As such the scheme is implemented in following 5 trains of Central Railway with effect from 3.10.2014. 

1. 11015 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Gorakhpur Kushinagar Express

2. 12534 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-Lucknow Pushpak Express

3. 11093 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-Varanasi Mahangari Express

4. 12141 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-Rajendranagar (Patna) Express

5. 11077 Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express

Premium Tatkal Pricing to bring in additional Rs.300 Crores to Railways if proved successful

New Delhi: With losses from passenger operations crossing Rs.26000 crore in FY14, the Indian Railways is trying to generate some extra money by selling 50 per cent of the tatkal tickets under dynamic pricing model on select routes. The move would bring in an additional income of Rs.300 crore, if the experiment proves to be a success, senior Railway officials said.

Under this model, ticket prices vary according to demand. The Railways already run premium trains at 30 routes, whose base fare starts from the tatkal fare and at the peak of the demand, it competes with the air fares.

About 20 popular routes across the country are identified where half of the tatkal tickets would be sold through premium pricing. The routes include Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Patna, and Chennai Central-Ahmedabad.

The zonal divisions of the Railways have been asked to come up with a plan for phase-wise rolling out of the scheme. The move is expected to be boost the revenue generation of cash-strapped Railways by up to 40 per cent on these routes. About 15 per cent of the reserved category tickets are tatkal tickets, which make up for five per cent of income from the passenger operations.

In FY14, the Railways yielded Rs.1298 crore through tatkal tickets. About 170,000 seats, of the 1.1 million available, are up for booking under the tatkal scheme.

In December last year, the Railways had conducted a pilot between Delhi and Mumbai for premium trains during the Christmas-New Year rush. It is estimated that the Railways earns Rs 19 lakh from a one-way journey on the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani. The earnings were spiked by 43 per cent on a single journey, according to senior Railway Board officials.

In the last financial year, the Railways earned Rs.37500 crore from passenger operations, while for the first time in many decades, the volume fell one per cent on a year-over-year basis. For FY15, the Railways has set a target of earning at Rs.44645 crore from passenger operations and it expects a five per cent spike in volume.

In June, the Railways had announced an increase of 14.2 per cent in passenger fares and 6.5 per cent in freight rates. However, the hike in sub-urban passenger fares was withdrawn amidst political pressure, which cost the Railways Rs 670 crore.

No.384/2014-15

01-10-2014

Secunderabad

50 % of Existing Tatkal Quota for Seven Trains on SCR To be Available as Premium Tatkal with Dynamic Pricing – Bookings Through E-Ticket only

Ministry of Railways has decided that 50 % of the existing Tatkal quota ticket shall be sold under dynamic fare scheme. After booking of the first 50% of the tatkal quota under the present tatkal scheme, the subsequent 50% of the tatkal quota, defined as premium tatkal quota shall be issued on dynamic pricing. This scheme shall be operational in identified trains with effect from 1stOctober, 2014 onwards.

This scheme of premium tatkal berths through dynamic pricing shall be distance-slab based fare scheme where the fare shall increase by 20% after each slab of 10% berths are sold subject to the existing cap (maximum fare chargeable) on dynamic fare. All rules for the tatkal quota and premium train services shall be applicable to the premium tatkal quota also.

On South Central Railway, this scheme will be implemented o­n seven identified trains from today i.e., 1st October, 2014 onwards. The trains are:-

1)Train No. 12723 Hyderabad-New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express

2)Train No. 12721 Hyderabad-Hazrat Nizamuddin Dakshin Express

3)Train No.12704 Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express

4)Train No. 12785 Kacheguda-Bangalore Express

5)Train No. 12791 Secunderabad-Patna Express

6)Train No. 12728 Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam Godavari Express

7)Train No. 17230 Hyderabad-Tiruvananthapuram Sabari Express

Reservations under the premium tatkal quota tickets have to be done o­nly through E-tickets online as applicable for Premium train services.

153/2014-15

01-10-2014

CHENNAI

PREMIUM TATKAL TICKETS

Ministry of Railways has announced the availability of PREMIUM TATKAL TICKETS. These will be currently available o­nly o­n select trains.  The trains are given below:

12656/55 Chennai Central – Ahmedabad Navajeevan Express.

12842/41 Chennai Central – Howrah Coromandal Express.

12840/39 Chennai Central – Howrah Mail.

12661/62 Chennai Egmore – Sengottai Pothigai Express.

22641/42 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Shalimar Express.

Under this scheme, 50% of the berths presently earmarked for tatkal sale will be set aside and sold as PREMIUM TATKAL TICKETS.

These premium tatkal berths can be booked o­nly o­nline and not across the counter.

The fare of the premium tatkal ticket will be dynamic and will increase based on demand upto a specific ceiling limit.

As in the case of premium tickets, no concession or refund will be applicable on these tickets.

All rules pertaining to booking of tatkal quota will be applicable to booking of premium tatkal tickets also.

However, unlike tatkal quota, the premium tatkal quota will not have any waiting list.All tickets sold under this quota will be confirmed tickets.

It may be noted that the above listed trains will have both tatkal tickets as well as premium tatkal tickets.Further, there is no reduction in the number of seat or berth availability under general booking in these trains.