Executive Summary:
This document is the Minister of Railways' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 666 regarding access to confirmed train tickets, tout activity, and measures to improve ticket availability. The response details efforts to manage waitlists, increase train services, and curb ticketing malpractices. Data on special trains, arrests of touts, and available booking facilities are provided for the period of 2022-2026 (up to May).
Key Points / Main Content:
Ticket Booking and Availability:
* Tickets can be booked online or at reservation counters on a first-come, first-served basis.
* Confirmed, RAC, and Waiting List tickets are issued, with automatic updates based on cancellations and quota releases.
* Demand varies, with popular routes and times being heavily patronized.
* Indian Railways monitors waiting lists and operates special trains and augments existing trains to increase capacity.
* The number of daily trains increased from approximately 4600 in FY2022-23 to approximately 5380 in FY2025-26 (up to May).
* Special trains have increased from 80 per day to 235 per day in FY2025-26 (up to May).
* Schemes like ATAS (VIKALP) and Upgradation are used to provide confirmed accommodations and optimize utilization.
Touts and Illegal Activities:
* Instances of ticketing malpractices are noted.
* Joint drives are conducted by Commercial, Vigilance, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) to curb tout activities.
* Checks are intensified during peak periods.
* Touts are prosecuted under Section 143 of the Railways Act.
* From 2022 to 2024, RPF registered 14778 cases against touts, arresting 16615 persons.
Ticket Booking Facilities:
* Reserved tickets can be booked via the IRCTC website/app, railway reservation counters, and authorized agents.
* Continuous efforts are made to improve passenger access to reserved tickets.
Impact Analysis:
Passengers:
* Impact: Passengers are affected by ticket availability, waiting lists, and the presence of touts. Measures are being taken to increase ticket availability and curb malpractices.
* Action Required: Passengers can utilize online and offline booking facilities provided by Indian Railways and IRCTC.
Indian Railways/IRCTC:
* Impact: Responsible for managing ticket booking, monitoring waitlists, operating special trains, and curbing tout activities.
* Action Required: Continue monitoring demand, operating special trains, augmenting services, conducting anti-tout drives, and improving booking facilities.
Railway Protection Force (RPF):
* Impact: Tasked with curbing tout activities and prosecuting offenders.
* Action Required: Continue conducting regular joint drives against touts and prosecuting them under Section 143 of the Railways Act.
Key Entities Referenced
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology.
Indian Railways: The railway system of India, responsible for operating trains and managing railway infrastructure.
Railway Protection Force: A security force in India entrusted with protecting railway passengers, passenger areas and railway property.
Railways Act: The primary legislation governing the railways in India, including provisions for offenses and penalties. Section 143 pertains to touting.
Indian Railway Catering Tourism Corporation: An Indian public sector undertaking that provides catering, tourism and online ticketing operations for the Indian Railways.
Vande Bharat: A semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit train operated by the Indian Railways.
Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme ATAS: Also known as VIKALP, this scheme aims to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted passengers on Indian Railways by offering them alternative train options.
Upgradation scheme: A scheme introduced by Indian Railways to ensure optimal utilization of available accommodation.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 666
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
ACCESS TO CONFIRMED TICKETS
666. SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that common people don't have
access to confirmed ticket in trains except Vande Bharat;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether touts have become active in whole railway system over
the last 2-3 years;
(d) if so, the number of touts identified and arrested during last three
years, zone-wise; and
(e) the details of steps taken by the Government to make railway
tickets easily available to common people of the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e) On Indian Railways tickets can be booked online or across
reservation counters on first cum first served basis. Initially confirmed
tickets are issued, thereafter Reservation Against Cancellation
(RAC)/Waiting list tickets are issued.The status of RAC/Waiting list passengers gets updated
automatically against the vacant accommodation becoming available
on account of cancellation of tickets booked prior to such tickets and
release of unutilised quota at the time of preparation of first
reservation charts.
Moreover, the demand pattern of reserved accommodation is not
uniform throughout the year and it varies over lean and peak periods.
The trains running on popular routes and convenient timings are
generally well patronized, however, in other trains, accommodation is
generally available.
Waiting list position of the trains running on Indian Railways is
monitored on regular basis and in order to cater to additional demand,
Indian Railways operates Special train services and augments the load
of trains to generate additional accommodation.
In FY2022-23 approx. 4600 Mail/Exp, Passenger and Special
trains were run on daily basis which has increased progressively to
approx. 5380 in FY 2025-26 (upto May). The number of special trains
have increased from 80 trains per day to almost three times, to 235
trains per day in FY 2025-26 (upto May).
Further, schemes like Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme
(ATAS) known as VIKALP and Up-gradation scheme have been
introduced to provide confirmed accommodation to waitlisted
passengers and also to ensure optimal utilization of available
accommodation.
As far as touts are concerned, instances of malpractices in
ticketing by unscrupulous elements do come to notice from time to
time. To curb their activities, regular joint drives are conducted byCommercial, Vigilance and Railway Protection Force against touts.
These checks are intensified during peak rush/festival periods. Touts
apprehended are prosecuted as per Section 143 of Railways Act.
Accordingly, during the period of 2022 to 2024, Railway Protection
Force (RPF) has registered 14778 cases against touts and 16615
persons have been arrested under section 143 of the Railway Act.
With a view to facilitate passengers in getting reserved tickets,
Indian Railways has provided the facility of booking reserved tickets
through website of Indian Railway Catering &Tourism Corporation
(IRCTC)/its app, reservation counters of Indian Railways, authorised
ticketing agents, etc, for online as well as counter tickets, etc. Taking
such measures to facilitate passengers is a continuous and ongoing
process.
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