Railway tickets Thro’ non-internet based mobile phones


From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, June 17: Waiting in long queues for booking railway tickets or running to the nearest railway ticket booking agent or desperately seeking internet access will be a thing of the pas, the Indian Railways will be launching a pilot project for ticketing through non-internet based mobile phones with effect from July 1.

The facility will be operationed by the Union Railways Ministry through Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways as part of the drive to improve the services to the travelling public.
The facility will enable people using non-internet based mobile phones to easily access Railway ticketing services through SMS/IVRS/USSD, according to an official press release.
The scheme will be user-friendly, secure and also eco-friendly as no print out will be required and is expected to ensure ease and access of ticketing.

The e-ticketing initiative of Indian Railways has been one of the most passenger-friendly initiatives of Indian Railways.

In order to further expand the reach of ticketing, the Minister of Railways had made a Budget announcement regarding launch of ticketing through mobile phones was announced in the Railway Budget.

The objective is to tap the potential of mobile phone market in India and thereby facilitate the common man, by providing him any-where any-time and hassle free booking option, the press release said.

The salient features of this new scheme are:

• There will be a dedicated number on which SMS can be sent.
• No need of internet at any stage viz. booking, payment, cancellation etc.
• One has to register the mobile number with IRCTC as well as one’s bank  (one time password) for authorization of payment.
• The passenger has to type the train number, destination, journey date, class and passenger details like name, age and gender on the SMS box.
• The sender will receive transaction ID and then make payment through sending another SMS by typing PAY followed by the transaction ID, MMID as received from the bank and password.
• On successful booking of ticket, message will be sent to the user by IRCTC which will suffice as valid authority to travel along with photo ID card in original.
• Cancellation of tickets can also be done through the cancellation option available.
• The scheme will be on pilot basis and will not be available 8 am - 12 pm for booking ARP/ Tatkal/General tickets.

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Shiva, Mangalore

    Tue, Jun 18 2013

    Ha ha i just went thr almost all comments,Guys when a new system is designed ,it will have some faults.IRCTC is trying to give its best to Indian Citizens,Even if there are no cool Maglevs we have decent Blue and Red Box's in India,Indian Railway Signature color :)
    Booking and allotting seats is not a easy task.Just think,We are not only the one who are booking ticket 1/4-1/6 of people in india will be travelling every minute.

    Things will improve as time passes.Do have some patience.Guys!

    Creating n/w radiation and saving paper is one and same.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Umesh Salian, Uppala / Dubai

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    BRILLIANT.. a move that would ease one and all who desperately
    waiting for some solution that has been offered in platers to public.. Now SAY NOT THE STRUGGLE... AVAIL IT....

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mapusa

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    India is shining.......

    DisAgree [3] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    Few hardcore Sangh Parivaris oppose anything that Congress Govt introduces.
    When their tall leaders in Delhi, regional leaders in Karnataka and those hardcore Daiji-Sangh Parivar forgot to oppose the Bellary mine loot of rupees 1,00,000,00,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh Crore )by the Reddy Bros and Associates with 20% Ill-Wealth share went to the BJP's Central & State Hundies.
    Bro, please practice what you preach.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • vasu, Mlore/Dubai

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    Think after checking IRCTC website during tatkal hours, getting ticket on sms and getting entry to KBC chances are same.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • flavian dsouza, chik/banaglore

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    Very good initiative. The issue with our govtsystems is we do not maitian them and ensure there is continous improvements.Also look at the issues we have with current online booking and TATKAL first fix those and then move to a new and improved system !!!or scrap the old ones and come up with nex and effecient ones like this again hopefully they will maitian and ensure it delivers es expected

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dinesh Poojary, Kundapura/Bengaluru

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    People should not receive the message REQUEST REJECTED BY SERVER, SERVER BUSY, TRY AGAIN LATER, CONNECTION ERROR etc etc error messages after making the payment. A stable server is required to be in place. Then you can introduce this facility.

    DisAgree [14] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dinesh Poojary, Kundapura/Bengaluru

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    First improve the bandwidth/ capacity of the server. Later we can talk about this.

    DisAgree [34] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sunil , Karkala

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    First appreciate the move which will benefit the users of non-internet cell phones. Then you can give your critique.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • prp, mangalore

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    are u out of sense. this new facility works on a different server. if ur that much concerned, get recruited to railways and help them. I think u cant mr. poojary.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Joslynn Rooswelt, Mangalore

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    just appreciate the new invention... later u can point out the drawbacks.....
    Just read it once again... they have invented Railway tickets Thro’ non-internet based mobile phones.... n ur talking about the bandwidth.... does this make sense..?

    DisAgree [5] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Mon, Jun 17 2013

    Good move. It will help to save papers and time. This is a commendable step taken by railway, introducing ticket booking facility on mobile phone.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [34] Reply Report Abuse


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