To take care of the unreserved segment of the passengers, a new pilot project on computer based unreserved ticketing has been launched this year. Of the 13 million passengers served by the network everyday, nearly 12 million are unreserved passengers. To cater to this huge segment, computer based ticketing systems have been launched for Delhi area and will be extended to all stations in Delhi very soon and in due course extended throughout the country. With this, unreserved tickets can be issued even from locations other than the boarding station and will reduce crowds at booking offices and stations.
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation with the assistance of Centre for Railway Information Systems has launched an online ticketing facility, which can be accessed through website www.irctc.co.in.
The period witnessed revolutionary changes in the use of IT in Railways and online computerised reservation facilities were added at 455 new locations. At present, these facilities are available at 758 locations in the country covering about 96 per cent of the total workload of passenger reservation. Computerised reservation related enquiries about accommodation availability, passenger status, train schedule, train between pair of stations have been made web-enabled.
A pilot project for issuing monthly and quarterly season tickets through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) has been launched in Mumbai and has been found to very successful. Another pilot project for purchasing tickets including monthly and quarterly season tickets through Smart Card has also been launched.
A ‘National Train Enquiry System’ has been started in order to provide upgraded passenger information and enquiries. This system provides the train running position on a current basis through various output devices such as terminals in the station enquiries and Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) at important railway stations. So far, the project has been implemented at 98 stations. The Railways has also launched website, www.indianrail.gov.in through which information regarding reservation status of booked passengers, rules, fares etc. is available.
Freight Operations Information System (FOIS)
Computerisation of freight operations by Railways has been achieved by implementing Rake Management System (RMS). Such FOIS terminals are available at 235 locations spread across different Zonal Railways. RMS application is providing the facility of rake based consignment tracking and pipe-line, train/rake operations, stock holding, train and stock inter-change, terminal handling performance, loco holding etc.
Railways have established their own intra-net ‘Railnet’. It envisages networking between Railway Board, zonal headquarters, divisional headquarters, production units, and training centres.
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