In a major boost to train reservations and the availability of seats, the Indian Railways has revised the threshold time within which the first reservation chart will be published. Under the new rules, the passengers will know eight to ten hours in advance whether their booking has been confirmed or in the waiting list.
The Ministry of Railways has issued guidelines to the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) in this regard. Furthermore, the time for chart preparation has been divided into two categories based on the departure times of trains.
What Are The Two New Categories?
Under the new rules of the Railways, charts have been divided into two categories. For trains running between 5:01 AM and 2:00 PM, the first chart will be prepared by 8:00 PM the previous day. This will benefit morning travelers who will know their confirmed seat availability at 8:00 PM, well before the train's departure time.
Similarly, trains running from 2:10 pm to 11:59 pm or from midnight to 5 am will be prepared at least 10 hours before the train departs.
Before the new rules were implemented, the way the charts were prepared caused severe inconvenience to the passengers. Charts were prepared at the last minute, and passengers would be aware of their reservation status only at the last minute.
How Will The New Rules Be Beneficial For Passengers?
According to the Railway Board, the new rules will prove to be beneficial for those passengers who come from several hours from faroff places and have to wait till the last moment for their seat to be confirmed. However, under the new rules, the information on the chart will be provided four to five hours before.
The rapid and system-generated charts will also reduce last-minute errors. Just as the Railways have revised the chart-issuing rules, the situation after the first chart is prepared will also be addressed. If seats remain vacant after the first chart is prepared, bookings will continue.