New Delhi:
In a frustrating turn of events for rail travelers, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s (IRCTC) website and mobile app suffered a significant outage on Thursday morning, disrupting the critical Tatkal ticket booking window. This incident marks the second major disruption this month, leaving thousands of passengers in a state of chaos.
IRCTC Website Down: Maintenance Activity Halts Ticket Bookings
The outage, which began just before the 10 AM Tatkal booking window, was attributed to maintenance activities by IRCTC. Users attempting to book tickets were met with a message stating, “Due to maintenance activity, e-ticketing service will not be available. Please try later.” IRCTC’s IT team is working diligently to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The disruption had a profound impact on travelers, particularly those relying on the Tatkal ticket system, which allows bookings just one day before departure. The outage occurred at a crucial time, with the 10 AM window for AC classes and 11 AM for non-AC classes being the peak periods for Tatkal bookings. This is not the first instance this month; a similar outage occurred on December 9 due to maintenance activities.
Passengers took to social media to express their frustration and disappointment. Many alleged that once the service resumed, only premium-priced tickets were available, often at double the standard rates. One user complained on social media, tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Prime Minister’s Office, highlighting the inconvenience and potential manipulation of the booking system.
For passengers needing to cancel their tickets, IRCTC provided alternative methods. They can either call the customer care numbers 14646, 08044647999, or 08035734999, or email their ticket details to etickets@irctc.co.in for a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR).
The frequent outages have raised concerns about the platform’s server capacity and its ability to handle high-traffic periods, especially during the designated Tatkal booking windows. As the digital arm of the Indian Railways, IRCTC’s reliability is crucial for the smooth operation of rail travel services.
