WAITLISTED TICKETS AND THEIR FATE :TRAVELLER NOT JUST LOSING MONEY BUT THEIR PLANS:
A BONE OF CONTENSION TO BE ADDRESSED:
Of course when a waitlisted ticket is not confirmed the amount is remitted automatically into the account of the customer, what about their plans ?
WHEN THE EARLY BIRD CUSTOMER PAYS AND BOOKS THE TICKET MUST HAVE SOME GUIDE LINES AT WHAT STAGE THE CUSTOMER SHOULD STOP BOOKING WAITLISTED TICKETS SO THAT THEIR TRAVEL PLANS ARE NOT JEOPARDIZED AND THEY DONT LOSE ON CANCELLATION MIDWAY WITH WAITLISTED TICKETS.
The GNWL (General waiting list) quota is okay. The quota is a big number; so can wait for some days to see the development trends and then make alternate plans.
But there are other types of waitlisted tickets ,classifies on different Quota basis.
Besides General, Pooled & Remote Location (GNWL, PQWL- pooled quota for group of small stations, RLWL- remote stations). This is with the original intension of giving a chance to Genuine, Emergency Travellers and late deciders from intermediary stations. Good that a chance to reserve in advance is given to all Rail Travellers. This Practice without somemodification will scuttle the chances or keep in abeyance the chances of the Early birds who book tickets on the first few days of start of reservation (120 days) particularly during Festival Seasons and Senior Citizens who plan well ahead.
THIS CAUSES DISCOMFORT AND PROBLEMS TO THE EARLY BIRDS, WHO ACTUALLY HELP TO PLAN THE RAILWAYS TO ORGANIZE THE NUMBER OF ACCOMMODATION REQUIRED , AND ALSO FILL THE COFFERS 120 DAYS BEFORE THEY START TO RENDER SERVICE.
They book a wait listed ticket and wait anxiously till the previous day of the journey, when the list is prepared. If it is in GNWL (General waiting list), there will be a chance in the 120 days to get the ticket confirmed.
BUT IN OTHER CATEGORIES OF WL TICKETS, PQWL, RLWL, ONE HAS TO WAIT TILL THE PREVIOUS DAY OF THE JOURNEY; THAT WILL PUSH THE TRAVELLER TO ANXIETY. AND WHEN ONE DOESN’T GET CLEARED WHAT CAN THE TRAVELLER DO JUST THE PREVIOUS DAY OF THE PLANNED JOURNEY?
A PROBABLE SOLUTION : THE INDIAN RAILWAYS SHOULD NOT ISSUE SUCH WL TICKETSAS PQWL,RLWL UNLESS SURE OF GETTING CONFIRMED, TO MAKE SURE NOT TO JEOPARDIZE THE TRAVEL PLANS OF A WELL PLANNING TRAVELLER.
OR,
PQWL,RLWL TICKETS CLEARANCE(if not full at least a portion of it) SHOULD BE DECLARED 10 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE DATE OF TRAVEL; THIS WILL GIVE THE WAITLISTED TRAVELLER TO MAKE ALTERNATE PLANS IF THE TICKET IS NOT CLEARED. – So that all parties are winners and looser.
There could be even better suggestions from the learned Circle Members. more
Of course when a waitlisted ticket is not confirmed the amount is remitted automatically into the account of the customer, what about their plans ?
WHEN THE EARLY BIRD CUSTOMER PAYS AND BOOKS THE TICKET MUST HAVE SOME GUIDE LINES AT WHAT STAGE THE CUSTOMER SHOULD STOP BOOKING WAITLISTED TICKETS SO THAT THEIR TRAVEL PLANS ARE NOT JEOPARDIZED AND THEY DONT LOSE ON CANCELLATION MIDWAY WITH WAITLISTED TICKETS.
The GNWL (General waiting list) quota is okay. The quota is a big number; so can wait for some days to see the development trends and then make alternate plans.
But there are other types of waitlisted tickets ,classifies on different Quota basis.
Besides General, Pooled & Remote Location (GNWL, PQWL- pooled quota for group of small stations, RLWL- remote stations). This is with the original intension of giving a chance to Genuine, Emergency Travellers and late deciders from intermediary stations. Good that a chance to reserve in advance is given to all Rail Travellers. This Practice without somemodification will scuttle the chances or keep in abeyance the chances of the Early birds who book tickets on the first few days of start of reservation (120 days) particularly during Festival Seasons and Senior Citizens who plan well ahead.
THIS CAUSES DISCOMFORT AND PROBLEMS TO THE EARLY BIRDS, WHO ACTUALLY HELP TO PLAN THE RAILWAYS TO ORGANIZE THE NUMBER OF ACCOMMODATION REQUIRED , AND ALSO FILL THE COFFERS 120 DAYS BEFORE THEY START TO RENDER SERVICE.
They book a wait listed ticket and wait anxiously till the previous day of the journey, when the list is prepared. If it is in GNWL (General waiting list), there will be a chance in the 120 days to get the ticket confirmed.
BUT IN OTHER CATEGORIES OF WL TICKETS, PQWL, RLWL, ONE HAS TO WAIT TILL THE PREVIOUS DAY OF THE JOURNEY; THAT WILL PUSH THE TRAVELLER TO ANXIETY. AND WHEN ONE DOESN’T GET CLEARED WHAT CAN THE TRAVELLER DO JUST THE PREVIOUS DAY OF THE PLANNED JOURNEY?
A PROBABLE SOLUTION : THE INDIAN RAILWAYS SHOULD NOT ISSUE SUCH WL TICKETSAS PQWL,RLWL UNLESS SURE OF GETTING CONFIRMED, TO MAKE SURE NOT TO JEOPARDIZE THE TRAVEL PLANS OF A WELL PLANNING TRAVELLER.
OR,
PQWL,RLWL TICKETS CLEARANCE(if not full at least a portion of it) SHOULD BE DECLARED 10 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE DATE OF TRAVEL; THIS WILL GIVE THE WAITLISTED TRAVELLER TO MAKE ALTERNATE PLANS IF THE TICKET IS NOT CLEARED. – So that all parties are winners and looser.
There could be even better suggestions from the learned Circle Members. more
Viewed by 1099
View all 11 comments Below 11 comments
For wait listed tickets, a risk of spoiling or as Mr Daniel said jeopardizing the travel plans of the tickets holders will always remain there. Apart from various suggestions made by Mr Daniel and other circles members, I would like to mention that the probability of getting the tickets confirmed is being shown in percentage in brackets against every wait list number under each class so that one can decide whether to go ahead for the booking or not. However, it doesn't give a guarantee of getting the tickets confirmed. The probability percentage is arrived at on the basis of historical data of immediate last one year or so, which was being shown in the IRCTC site during pre-covid era. After booking a wait listed ticket, one can conveniently check the status thereof daily from railway sites. There is no justification of expecting any updated information by the individual wait listed ticket holders from the railways nor it's practical. The final chart of passengers is being prepared 24 hours prior to schedule departure of the specific train and most of the wait listed tickets get confirmed only during preparation of the chart. Therefore, it may not be possible for the railways to say yes or no before 48 hours, as suggested by some of the members. Railways should issue wait listed tickets purely on the basis of historical data and beyond a specific percentage of probability, say 70% or below, issuance of wait listed tickets must be stopped to mitigate the sufferings of the holders of auch tickets to some extent. The suggestion to prioritise the issuance of Tatkaal tickets to wait listed passengers is likely to defeat the purpose of the scheme unless number of berths is substantially increased by reducing the berths under general category. Hence, it may not be workable. more
Nov 13
Correct Mr. Mohapatra. One books ticket 90 or 120 days in advance or in some cases 10 - 15 days prior to travel. Here Railway gets interest free money till a ticket is either used or cancelled. At this juncture how can one expect railways to consider anticipated difficulties if a traveler. In case of fatal booking, issuance of RAC OR WAITLIST should not be booked by a traveler. more
Nov 12
Providing Tatkal tickets to waitlisted passengers would defeat the very purpose for which such tickets were introduced. Tatkal tickets were meant for passengers who have to decide to undertake a journey on the spur of the moment due some emergency like medical urgency, to attend someone on death bed or funeral etc. If someone is getting a wait listed ticket, he/she is aware of un-certainty in his/her travel plan and have all the time to plan alternative arrangements. Under the prevailing circumstances, it would be the best if the Railways provide on line, on the day to day basis and then hour to hour basis, status of booking for all important trains. This status could also be made available on all the stations for the trains passing through it. more
Nov 12
If the WL ticket does not get confirmed at least 48 hours prior to the departure, then the concerned railways must intimate the WL traveler accordingly so that he/she may try for other mode of transport. more
Nov 11
It is a fact that the wait listed tickets are at the mercy of God. There is no certernity that the tickets are going to be confirmed or not. When their no possibility of getting confirmed, IRCTC should stop booking or in case of excess demand, the Railway should provide additional coaches or special trains. Such provisions were introduced, but not implemented so far. Premium trains were introduced with excess charges and those trains are running without sufficient passengers. more
Nov 11
