Keeping in mind the convenience of the passengers, Indian Railways has made a big and important change in the rules of Emergency Quota. Recently, the Railways had decided to prepare the Reservation Chart 8 hours before the departure time of the train. Keeping this decision in mind, the rules for filing a request under the emergency quota have also been amended. The Ministry of Railways has issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday. This change is expected to provide great relief to common passengers, especially those who are on the waiting list.
What is the emergency quota, and what used to happen due to its misuse
First of all, let us understand what an emergency quota is. Under the emergency quota, seats are reserved for VIPs, railway employees, and passengers with medical emergencies. This facility is for those who need to travel on Tatkal.
But this facility was often misused. Due to last-minute requests, there was a delay in preparing the chart. This had a direct and negative impact on the common passengers on the waiting list, causing them a lot of inconvenience. Many times, even the rightful claimant was not able to get a seat. To overcome these problems, the Railways have implemented these new rules.
New time set for the request for the emergency quota
Railways have set a time to file emergency quota requests for trains running on different timings. This will ensure that the chart is prepared on time, and passengers on the waiting list can also get timely updates. The Railway Ministry has clearly stated in its circular, “For all trains running between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm, the emergency quota request should reach the Emergency Cell by noon on the day before the journey.” Similarly, “For all other trains running between 2:01 pm and 12:59 pm of the next day, the emergency quota request should reach the Emergency Cell by 4:00 pm on the day before the journey.”
Special rules for Sundays and other holidays
The Railway Ministry has also made it clear that seats will not be allotted to requests received under the emergency quota on the day of departure of the train. This rule is to ensure that the chart-making process is not disrupted by last-minute requests.
Regarding Sunday or any other public holiday, the ministry has said that for trains in which an emergency quota is to be issued on Sunday or post-Sunday holidays, the request has to be filed before office closing time one day before the seat is issued.
Importance and benefits of new rules
The Railway Ministry said that the reservation cell of the Railway Board receives a large number of requests from VIPs, railway officials, senior officials, and other departments. The delay caused by last-minute requests will end. Common passengers will know their waiting list status on time, and their chances of getting a confirmed seat will increase. Misuse of the emergency quota will stop, and this facility will reach only the needy. There will be more transparency in the allocation of seats. This change reflects the customer-centric policy of the Railways and is an important step taken to ensure that all passengers get proper and timely service.