Railway Tatkal tickets gone in 60 seconds? Thyrocare founder slams IRCTC's tatkal booking chaos, offers a solution
Booking a
Tatkal
train ticket on
IRCTC
has turned into a daily digital gamble, and now, even prominent entrepreneurs are calling it out. Every morning at 10 AM, countless Indians brace themselves for a frustrating race against the clock. Seats appear available, only to vanish in seconds as the website freezes, crashes, or simply gives up. The ritual is so familiar that it's become a running joke online, but for those relying on emergency travel, the experience is anything but funny.
Among the many voices rising against this glitch-ridden madness is
Dr A. Velumani
, the founder of Thyrocare. Sharing a viral image on X (formerly Twitter) from Stocks in HD's Threads account, Dr Velumani didn't mince words. He called the entire experience 'shocking' and, if true, a 'betrayal.' The post had outlined the minute-by-minute chaos of Tatkal booking, where everything seems fine until the clock hits 10, and then the website seemingly collapses under pressure.
But Dr Velumani didn't stop at criticism. Drawing parallels from his own company's experience, he offered a practical solution. Thyrocare, he recalled, once faced a similar problem of server overload during peak traffic. Since adding expensive spare servers wasn't viable, his team solved it by staggering user access. He suggested
IRCTC
do the same, allowing only a fraction of trains (say 1/10th) to be booked every hour, as a simple way to optimise load and ensure smoother operations. He tagged IRCTC's official account and shared this recommendation.
— velumania (@velumania)
Meanwhile, users on social media added their own insights. Some likened Tatkal bookings to a lottery. Others pointed out that automated systems used by booking agents are the real culprits, grabbing tickets in seconds while regular users struggle to even load the page. Many agreed the problem runs deeper than server load, hinting at systemic loopholes and unfair advantages.
What does the survey say?
Securing a Tatkal train ticket remains a frustrating experience for most Indian travellers, according to a new nationwide survey by LocalCircles, as reported by Business Standard. Conducted between April and May 2025, the survey covered over 55,000 travellers across 396 districts.
A staggering 73% of respondents who tried booking online in the past year said they were waitlisted within the first minute of the Tatkal window opening. Only 40% of those surveyed felt the regular online process was the best way to secure a Tatkal ticket, while over 30% admitted turning to travel agents instead. Others resorted to using multiple devices, visiting railway stations, or even contacting MPs or railway staff.
The reports further claimed that out of 18,851 people who attempted Tatkal bookings in the last 12 months, 29% said they succeeded only 0–25% of the time, while another 29% reported never succeeding. Just 10% got a ticket every time they tried.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Domestic private capital plays a key role in financing Indian businesses
Private capital deployment in India has risen steadily from $37 billion in 2012–2014 to $137 billion in 2022–2024, and its role in financing private enterprises has expanded over this time. The share of domestic private equity (PE) in overall PE activity in India has also grown from 9% to 11% during this period, as McKinsey data shows. What's fuelling domestic funds?: Three drivers are underpinning the development and growth of domestic funds in India: more domestic general partners (GPs or fund managers); greater fund-raising and fund sizes; and emerging interest among limited partners (LPs or investors) in India-specific portfolios. Also Read: A private capex slump: An imperfect but indicative survey points to one The number of domestic GPs with $50 million or more deployed has more than doubled from 34 to 80 between 2016–2018 and 2022–2024. Their average deal size has also risen from $98 million to $114 million, and they are addressing a more diversified set of needs among mid-market enterprises. Despite this growth, the share of domestic GPs in total PE deployment in India is a relatively modest 11% compared to 62% in Korea and 26% in Japan, leaving headroom for growth. Fund-raising by Indian domestic GPs has been picking up, going from $8.2 billion in 2016–2018 to $13.7 billion in 2022–2024. Over half (or 59%) of all capital, however, was concentrated in the top six funds in 2016–2018. By 2022–2024, the concentration rose to 64%, indicating a marked preference for managers with strong track records and successful and stable teams. Uniquely, over 90% of this capital comes from foreign investors, as domestic fund-raising remains constrained by regulation. Further, unlike other markets where domestic investors are a material source of funding for domestic GPs, India's domestic GPs compete with global GPs for the capital of foreign LPs. Also Read: Reform agenda: What India must do to get private sector investment going Domestic GPs offer attractive, India-specific growth exposure to globally diversified LP portfolios, especially as India is projected to contribute over 17% of global GDP (excluding China and the US) growth as its GDP grows from $3.5 trillion currently to $20 trillion in 2045. Value proposition of domestic GPs: They offer diversified exposure compared to global and regional peers. Top domestic funds deploy about 80% of their capital across four to six sectors, whereas global and regional managers typically concentrate 80% of deployment across two or three sectors. As the economy expands, such diversification could be a virtue for two reasons: emerging investment opportunities in traditional high-growth sectors (such as logistics, wellness services, energy transition, supplemental education and asset management) and sunrise sectors supported by a push for import substitution (such as electronics, medical devices) and the government's production-linked incentive scheme. Growth is a priority as about 75% of capital goes into expansion: Capital in India is needed to fund private enterprise research and development, product development, growth in sales and distribution and new market entries, apart from working capital, unlike more mature markets where funding goes into consolidation and ownership changes. India's degree of inorganic consolidation, with an M&A (mergers and acquisitions)-to-GDP ratio of 2-4%, is far lower than the US's 8-10%. Domestic GPs remain well positioned to fund early- to mid-stage expansion in fast-growing sectors, where ticket sizes or risk profiles often do not suit bigger regional and global funds that focus on big-ticket buyouts with stakes acquired in relatively well-capitalized businesses from existing owners. Also Read: Seven reform pathways to bridge India's urban investment gaps Address a broader spectrum of capital needs: Ready to invest anywhere between $25 million and $200 million, domestic managers can address a broader spectrum of opportunities aligned with the evolving needs of Indian businesses. Domestic GPs also view emerging public markets, private credit and real assets as important. This promotes investments in new India-specific capabilities without the burden of legacy approaches. What attracts global and domestic LPs?: Global LPs seeking to increase their allocation to India say they look to domestic GPs for access to more diversified India-specific portfolios. They prioritize internal rate of return and distributed-to-paid-in capital performance measures while treating strong governance and co-investment rights as table stakes. On the other hand, domestic LPs, including family offices and high net worth individuals, view domestic GPs as a way to get exposure to private alternatives, diversify investments beyond their core business and exercise co-investment rights in well-governed businesses that they find attractive. They tend to focus on absolute returns and have a high bar, given India's public market return record. Domestic GPs have played a meaningful role in private capital deployment in other Asian markets. They are also an increasing source of foreign direct investment and can play a key role in financing the needs of mid-market businesses as well as sunrise sectors in India. Last but not the least, they provide India-specific exposure to global private capital participants. Anmol Chaudhary and Mridul Chandgothia of McKinsey & Co. contributed to this article. The authors are, respectively, a senior partner & a partner in McKinsey's Mumbai office.
Hans India
25 minutes ago
- Hans India
Vedanta Resources eyes invest grade rating, plans to cut debt
New Delhi: London-based Vedanta Resources Ltd (VRL) is targeting an investment grade credit rating on the back of its sustained deleveraging, the proposed demerger at its Indian subsidiary, Vedanta Ltd, and its robust growth, operational efficiencies and strong financial performance. VRL is committed to reducing its total debt from the current $5 billion to $3 billion by FY27 while strengthening its critical minerals, transition metals, energy and technology portfolio. A person aware of the matter said that VRL, at a recently held investor conferences in Hong Kong and Singapore, shared that the company is looking for an immediate credit rating upgrade to BB levels by proactively refinancing and prepaying its high-interest cost $550 million private credit facility due in August 2026. In the medium term, the company plans to achieve an investment grade rating on the back of its improved debt profile, financial and operational performance. Vedanta highlighted its robust earnings, healthy free cash flows, ongoing growth projects, strengthened balance sheet, and future deleveraging plans to the investors, the source said. An investment-grade credit rating signifies a company's strong capacity to meet its financial obligations and is considered a safe investment for institutional investors. It also allows a company to borrow money at lower interest rates, attracting a broader range of investors and gaining easier access to global debt markets. At present, VRL has a credit rating of B+ by S&P, Fitch & Moody's, with S&P giving a 3-notch upgrade to the company in FY25. The investment grade rating is linked to VRL's debt reduction target (to $3 billion) by FY27, so they are looking for an investment grade in about two years from now. Sources indicate that VRL is currently working with banks to refinance and pre-pay a $550 million private credit facility that will expire in August 2026. It is likely to use a bank loan with single-digit interest rates to refinance the facility, with savings of 800-900 basis points, resulting in interest cost savings of $47 million, said the person quoted above.
Hans India
25 minutes ago
- Hans India
Nothing Phone (3) Launching July 1: New Design, Triple Cameras, and Expected India Price
Nothing has officially said that its new top-end smartphone — the Nothing Phone (3) — will launch on July 1, 2025. While some details are still unknown, leaks have given us a good idea about its design, features, and price. The company is changing its earlier design style but still aims to compete in the premium phone market. Here's a simple look at what we know: New Design Without Glyph Lights The popular Glyph lights (the glowing lights on the back) seen in earlier models will not be on the Phone (3). A leaked image shows the phone will have a clean, semi-transparent back, curved edges, and a white color. The design looks more simple and classy, likely to attract premium users. Better Camera and Performance The Phone (3) may come with three 50MP cameras on the back: A main camera An ultrawide camera A telephoto camera with 3x zoom It is expected to use a Snapdragon 8 series chip, which is very powerful. The phone has been in the works for over two years, showing how important it is to the company. Expected Price in India and Other Countries In the US, the price for the 12GB + 256GB model could be $799 (around ₹68,000). In India, it may cost less than ₹60,000, since Nothing usually sets lower prices for Indian buyers. For example, the Nothing Phone (2) was ₹15,000 cheaper in India compared to the US. In Europe, the price could be around ₹90,000. How It Competes The Nothing Phone (3) may cost less than the OnePlus 13, which is priced at ₹69,999. It's likely to compete with phones like the iPhone 16e and iQOO 13. India is a key market, and Nothing is expected to keep prices lower here to attract more buyers.
