Recent change in IRCTC Online Train Tickets Booking Photo Identity Cards Rules

In India, booking of Train Tickets , can be done online, vide “http://www.irctc.co.in” website of the Indian Railways / IRCTC.

By Online booking, I- tickets and E- tickets can be booked. In the case of I- tickets the booking will have to be done online, and the ticket will be sent by Courier to the Address given at the time of booking. No Photo Identity Card is necessary for I- tickets. Cancellation of I-tickets in full or part must be done at Reservation Counter and the refund will be made to the original Bank/Credit Card account by which the online booking is done.

By Online booking of E-tickets the Tickets Print out / Electronic Reservation Slip can be taken online, without going to the Reservation Counter, and waiting in long ques, or waiting for the courier with I- tickets to reach our hands.If the E- ticket is for one person, the details of the Photo Identity Card must be furnished at the time of online booking and the same Photo Identity Card in original must be carried by the person. If more than one Passengers have to travel, the details of the Photo Identity Card of one of the persons should be furnished at the time of online booking and the same Photo Identity Card in original must be carried along with the Electronic Reservation Slip. (ERS)

Because of the above rule/s Passengers were facing difficulties in the following cases:-

• If the Number of the Photo Identity Card is by mistake furnished wrongly,while booking online.
• If the Person carries with him / her some other Photo Identity Card by mistake, other than the one mentioned in the E -ticket.
• If the Person whose Photo Identity Card is mentioned in the ticket has to cancel the journey, while others have to travel.

The following is a recent modification in the Indian Railways E ticket booking Rules, which will evade the above difficulties to the Passengers.
QUOTE:-

“IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION FOR E-TICKET PASSENGERS

• The input for the proof of identity is not required now at the time of booking.
• One of the passengers in an e-ticket should carry proof of identification during the train journey.
• Voter ID card/ Passport/PAN Card/Driving License/Photo Identity Card Issued by Central/State Government are the valid proof of identity cards to be shown in original during train journey.
• The input for the proof of identity in case of cancellation/partial cancellation is also not required now.
• The passenger should also carry the Electronic Reservation Slip (ERS) during the train journey failing which a penalty of Rs. 50/- will be charged by the TTE/Conductor Guard.”

-UNQUOTE

In Online ticket booking vide irctc website some more deficiencies are yet to be rectified by IRCTC, such as:-

• Allotment of seats as per preference of the traveler/s
• Non-Issuance of E-tickets, inspite of the Bank/Credit Card Account being debited.
• The delay in making refunds of cancelled E- tickets
• The delay in making refunds of amounts debited without Issuance of the E- tickets.

Passengers using the online booking are hopefully waiting for IRCTC to improve the quality of the website, and rectify the above deficiencies, as done in “Photo Identity Card” Rules.