Indian Railways has introduced stricter rules for passengers travelling on reserved tickets. Under the revised system, if a passenger does not board the train from the designated boarding station mentioned on the ticket, the reserved seat may be reassigned to another passenger within a short time. The Ticket Examiner (TTE) will no longer wait until the next station, as was previously common practice.
No boarding from pre-determinded station may lead to seat cancellation
Earlier, if a passenger with a reserved ticket failed to board from the allotted station, the TTE would generally keep the seat vacant until the next one or two stations. This allowed some flexibility for delayed passengers. However, with the introduction of a new digital monitoring system, this provision has effectively been removed.
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Now, if the passenger does not board from the specified station, it is recorded almost immediately in the system, and the seat can be reassigned without delay.
HHT device enables real-time updates
The change has been implemented through the use of the new Hand Held Terminal (HHT) device. This tablet-based device provides real-time updates on passenger boarding status. Once a no-show is recorded, the vacant seat is quickly allotted to passengers on the waiting list or those holding RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets.
Railways has stated that once a seat is reassigned, the original passenger is notified through SMS. However, if a mobile number was not provided at the time of booking, the message will not be received. In many cases where tickets are booked through travel agents, the agent’s mobile number is entered, which may prevent the actual passenger from receiving the notification.
How to avoid losing your reserved seat
To avoid losing a confirmed seat, passengers must board the train from the boarding station mentioned on the ticket and at the scheduled time. If a passenger plans to board from a different station, the boarding point must be changed at least 24 hours before departure through the IRCTC website or mobile app.
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Failing to update the boarding station in advance may result in the seat being reassigned to another passenger.
Faster seat allocation for waiting list passengers
According to Railways, the new digital system has made seat allocation faster and more transparent. Waiting list passengers now have a better chance of securing seats more quickly. At the same time, passengers with confirmed reservations must be cautious and ensure they comply with the boarding rules to avoid inconvenience.
