If you’ve ever struggled to book a Tatkal ticket because the IRCTC app became slow or crashed, there’s good news.
Indian Railways is upgrading its Passenger Reservation System (PRS) to make online ticket booking much faster and smoother.
Once the new system is fully rolled out, it will be able to process 1.25 lakh ticket bookings every minute.
At present, the system can handle only 25,000 bookings per minute, meaning the new upgrade will increase booking capacity five times.
Tatkal Ticket Booking Will Become Easier
The biggest benefit of the new system will be seen during Tatkal ticket booking.
Every day, especially around 10 am and 11 am, when Tatkal bookings open, the IRCTC app and website receive a huge number of users.
This often causes slow loading, app crashes, or users getting logged out before completing their bookings.
Railways says the upgraded system will be able to manage this heavy traffic more efficiently, making it easier for passengers to book tickets without interruptions, especially during the festive season.
Railways Expanding Its Digital Services
The new announcement was made by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), the technology arm of the Ministry of Railways, on its 41st anniversary.
For more than four decades, CRIS has been developing digital platforms for Indian Railways, including passenger reservation systems and freight management services.
The organisation is now modernising these systems to improve the overall travel experience.
RailOne App and AI to Improve Passenger Experience
Indian Railways is also working on its upcoming super app, RailOne, along with new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based features.
According to CRIS Managing Director GVL Satya Kumar, AI will help provide passengers with more personalised services based on their travel preferences.
The Railways is also strengthening cybersecurity to improve the safety of its digital platforms.
Another major advantage of the upgraded system is that it is expected to reduce the misuse of illegal software used by ticket brokers.
The improved infrastructure will also be better prepared to handle the heavy rush during festivals and peak travel seasons.
The new reservation system is expected to become fully operational in the coming months, giving passengers a faster and more reliable online ticket booking experience.
