Railway limits waiting list tickets bookings
Indian Railways
(IR) has decided to limit the issuance of waiting list (WL) tickets.
As per the newly introduced system, only up to 25% of the total available berths in each coach category of a train will be allowed for waiting list bookings.
This regulation will apply uniformly across all categories, including sleeper class, AC three tier, AC two tier, AC first class, chair car and executive chair car. For instance, in a train with 200 berths, only 50 waiting list tickets will now be issued, ensuring that overcrowding in reserved coaches is significantly reduced. According to the Railways, the primary aim of this change is to enhance the travel experience of passengers with confirmed tickets by preventing congestion in reserved compartments.
So far, trains with high demand, such as the Prayagraj Express, Shramik Shakti Express, and Brahmaputra Mail, often have waiting lists exceeding 100 on regular days and even soaring past 400 during festivals. This leads to a situation where many passengers with unconfirmed tickets would board the trains, causing inconvenience to others and straining onboard services.
Importantly, the cap will not apply to seats earmarked for specific categories such as senior citizens, women, differently-abled passengers (Divyangjans), and foreign tourists. These categories will continue to enjoy the current reservation flexibility. Senior PRO at North Central Railway (NCR), Amit Malviya, confirmed that the Railway Board issued official guidelines regarding the implementation of the new rule to all zonal railway divisions, including the North Central Railway.
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