July 07, 2010
Railway took decision to ban E-ticket agents of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for tatkal bookings. Agents will be barred from getting access to tatkal bookings from 8 am to 9 am. After receiving complaints from people against the web based ticket agents, railway decided to ban E-ticket agents.
Railway got various complaints about IRCTC website, passengers have been complaining that website crashing as soon as the booking commences in the morning.
A railway official said about complaints that agents corner tickets during the morning period and tatkal quota getting exhausted within minutes. “Taking such complaints into account, Railways have decided not to give the web-based agents and web services agents of the IRCTC access to tatkal booking from 8 am to 9 am,” he said, adding the decision will be implemented shortly.
“We want to give individuals a chance to book their ticket without any problem and if passenger complaints are addressed through this move we would implement the decision permanently,” said the Railways official. “With this move, we want to curb the menace of touting as passengers have often complained of,” said the official.
Indian railway’s 30 percent booking across the country done by the IRCTC website. Indian railway sees over 9.5 lakh reservation across the country every day. Approximately eight lakh agents are working under IRCTC. The ban will be temporary in nature and later may Indian railway take decision to make it permanent or not.
