Indian Railways Waiting List Rule: If you frequently travel by train, this news is useful for you. Recently, the Indian Railways made a major change regarding waitlisted tickets. Only 25 percent of the total seats in all classes (AC 1, 2, and 3, sleeper, and chair car) of each train will be issued as waitlisted tickets. Disabled quotas and seats in different categories will not be included in the issuance of waitlisted tickets. This move by the Railways aims to save passengers from the uncertainty of non-confirmed tickets.
Why did the Railways take this decision?
According to railway officials, typically 20%-25% of waitlisted tickets are confirmed before travel. Following a circular issued by the Railway Board, all zonal railways have begun enforcing this rule. Officials say that previously, due to the high number of waitlisted tickets, many passengers would board reserved coaches, causing overcrowding in trains. This caused inconvenience to those traveling with confirmed tickets.
Uncertainty after ticket booking will be reduced
According to railway officials, typically 20%-25% of waitlisted tickets are confirmed before travel. Following a circular issued by the Railway Board, all zonal railways have begun implementing this rule. Officials explained that previously, due to the high number of waitlisted tickets, many passengers would board reserved coaches, causing overcrowding in trains. This caused inconvenience to passengers with confirmed tickets. This decision by the railways has been taken to reduce the uncertainty people face after booking tickets.
What was the previous rule?
According to the January 2013 rule, waitlist tickets were issued up to 30 in AC 1, 100 in AC 2, 300 in AC 3, and 400 in sleeper. Now, under the new policy, each zonal railway will determine the waitlist ticket limit based on booking and cancellation patterns. A senior Western Railway official explained that previously, due to the high number of waitlist tickets, there was a discrepancy between the number of confirmed tickets and the number of passengers boarding the train. This caused inconvenience to passengers. The new rule will provide a better passenger experience.
What is the calculation of available berths?
“Available berths” refers to the seats that remain available for general booking after allocating various quotas, such as for senior citizens, women, foreign tourists, and disabled passengers. For example, if 400 berths are available for booking after applying all quotas, a maximum of 100 seats can be issued on the waiting list. Currently, the high number of waitlisted tickets causes significant problems during peak seasons, especially during Diwali and Chhath. Under the new rule, only 25% of the total number of berths available in each coach can be issued on the waiting list.
An official says that this change will apply to all categories of seats. This rule will also be implemented for Tatkal and remote location bookings. However, this new limit will not apply to concessional fares or tickets issued on government warrants. A circular issued by Western Railway (WR) stated that this implementation will be done through software changes by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems). The implementation date will be announced soon.